Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe
by Snafu the Great
Summary: Inspired by Mortal Kombat: Desperation. When Raiden corrupts his warriors, three of them escape, while an undead Emperor and Empress are brought back to life. Living in exile, they start anew. Years later, when Raiden tracks them down, the Exiled Kombatants join forces with each other - and with Earth's mightiest heroes - to defend their new home. Now has a TVTropes page!
1. Prologue: Flight

**Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe (ver. 2.6)**  
A Marvel/Mortal Kombat Crossover Event  
By Snafu the Great

DISCLAIMER: Mortal Kombat belongs to Ed Boon and Netherrealm Studios. The Marvel Universe as a whole belongs to Marvel Comics. This story had went through several ideas, but with the Phoenix Force as part of the main plot. The first idea I had that Sonya divorced Johnny when Cassie was three, calling the both of them a mistake, and Johnny is booted from defending Earth. Years later Quan Chi discovers that Cassie – now an actress and singer – is the host of the Phoenix, while Liu and the other revenants want to use Cassie to revive them.

The second idea was that the Phoenix Force possesses Team S-F before Shinnok's Amulet was stolen, creating the Phoenix Four, and the Avengers and the X-Men travel to Earthrealm to contain the quintet shortly after Shinnok's defeat, thus bringing them into conflict with the Kombatants. But I decided to scrap that idea. But I may post the scene in which the Phoenix Four threatens Liu and Kitana in the Netherrealm in place of Raiden.

But the inspiration for this version actually came from PinkRedRose2's **Mortal Kombat: Desperation** , primarily the scene in which Raiden and Kano kidnaps Cassie in order to keep Johnny and Sonya in line...with Raiden mass-shocking Cassie's parents, Jax and the rest of Team S-F into unconscious. So yeah, Raiden's the bad guy in this story.

CANON DIVERGEANCE! When Cassie was 19, her father had met Yao (the Sorcerer Supreme before Stephen Strange), who arrives in Earthrealm in order to tell him of his family's destiny: that Cassie and her team will save Earthrealm, and that Raiden will become corrupt, forcing him and his family to flee Earthrealm for his world (Earth-616), where they will be given a second chance at happiness. He also gives Johnny the means to transport there: a portal stone. When Raiden succumbs to the corruption and begins to corrupt his chosen warriors, Johnny, Cassie and Sonya flee.

The Cage Family de-ages (Johnny, 24; Sonya, 21, Cassie, 6) and rebuild their lives, making long-term plans to rescue the friends they were forced to leave behind. 19 years later, Johnny and Sonya have remarried, and the Cage family has risen to prominence. Johnny is a billionaire, the founder of Cage Incorporated, Sonya is a Colonel in the Army, and Cassie is a First Lieutenant. They also have another daughter, Ravenna. However, the Cage family is not the only ones who leaves for the Marvel Universe...

Last, Ravenna Cage is modeled after Daisy Ridley (Rey from The Force Awakens) and Rebecca Cage (Carlton) is modeled after Stefanie Joosen (younger) and Noomi Rapace (older).

UPDATE! Consider this the XL version, as I cleaned up some of the grammar and adding on several extra scenes. One major change involves Sonya herself and her past exposure to the Blood Code. As you know, the Blood Code grants a person superhuman strength, damage soak, and regeneration. Just as how Cassie ended up activating her X-Gene by coming to the Marvel Universe, Sonya has an unexpected boon as a result of her exposure to blood magik; her strength and defense has increased to where she hits as hard as Johnny and she has regenerative abilities. But it also left her with a slight change in her appearance, her eye color changing from blue to purple.

Second, this idea came to me, but Cassie will be involved with Simon Williams (Wonder Man). This version of Wonder Man is different as he retains all of his powers save for the immortality. Cassie is also the main reason why he is still a good guy,

 **Prologue: Flight**

The Sky Temple – the Jinsei Chamber

One thought was going through John Carlton's head. 'This definitely is not my day.'

But despite being kidnapped by his former allies, brought to Raiden's Sky Temple, encased in a cocoon and tortured by a bug lady who had her maggots eat away at his face, followed by sustaining repeated energy blasts from a super-powered fallen Elder God who hated his guts with a passion not even his ex-wife could match on her best day, he couldn't be any more prouder of his team.

Most of all, his daughter, who Johnny watched kicked Shinnok's ass after summoning the green glow.

Oh, the irony, Johnny realized. The irony of Shinnok getting his ass handed to him by a Cage. Had it not been for the fact that he was in pain, Johnny would have been laughing his ass off over that fact.

"How is he?" he heard his daughter ask her teammate, after pulling Raiden out of the Jinsei, the thunder god purified it. "Is he still alive?"

"Barely," Kung Jin replied. "I got him. Help your father."

Within seconds, Cassandra Cage was at her father's side. "Dad...?"

Johnny groaned. "I don't feel so hot." He looked at his daughter. "And to think...I was worried when you started dating..."

Cassie held a look of relief. "Afraid I'd come home to someone like you?" his daughter asked.

"Funny and beautiful. Saves the world," her father quipped. "Yeah...my work here is done. Now get me out of this damn thing."

After trying to pry it free with her bare hands, Cassie had to retort to using her baton to begin smashing the hardened resin. She was able to get her father's shoulder free when backup arrived in the form of his ex-wife, accompanied by several soldiers, her voice heralding her arrival. "This way! In here!"

After quickly taking in the situation before her, General Sonya Blade began to issue out orders. "Isolate Shinnok and D'Vorah! Secure the amulet! And I need medics on the double!"

Turning to her ex-husband and daughter, Sonya rushed over to them. She stood on the opposite side of Johnny. "You look terrible," she said. "We'll fix you up."

Ignoring the pain, Johnny instead praised their daughter. "Shoulda seen Cass. Wiped the floor with Shinnok."

Sonya looked at her daughter, pride showing in her face, while Cassie looked slightly embarrassed. "I believe it." She turned back to Johnny, the same pride showing on her face, when it had been scorn just hours earlier. "And you...you did a great job with your team, Johnny."

Johnny's grin widened. "Hear that, Cass? She called me 'Johnny.'"

"I thought she'd might," Cassie replied.

Behind them, the Jinsei, purified of Shinnok's taint, glowed its radiant blue.

But despite the good mood, in the back of Johnny's mind, the dread was starting to build. While he was happy that his daughter was safe and Shinnok was defeated, Johnny was starting to get worried.

The old man had been right about Cassie defeating Shinnok. Which meant that it would only be a matter of time before Shinnok's corruption would consume Raiden and his chosen warriors.

Once he was freed and fully recovered, Johnny knew that he had to prepare for the inevitable.

He and his family was to flee Earthrealm.

The only question is just how long did he have before Raiden sets his sights on him and his family. 

* * *

Six months later.

Following what was known as the Second Skirmish at the Sky Temple, Johnny had decided to retire from acting to focus on training his team. Of course, his retirement wouldn't effectively take place until the end of the year, and he had just finished up his film project.

Aside from the run-in with Erron Black, in which Jax had been injured in defending his daughter and her teammates following Black's assassination attempt, everything was peaceful.

But Johnny knew that it wasn't going to last.

He had watched Raiden from a distance. He knew that purifying the Jinsei of Shinnok's taint had corrupted him. And Cassie was now starting to become suspicious of the thunder god as well, following her last assignment.

Johnny had found his daughter inside his condo two days earlier, hugging her knees, a haunted look in her eyes, having returned to America in the dead of night. Johnny hadn't seen her this vulnerable since the Blood Code, when she told him and Sonya on how she and Jacqui not only mowed down the Black Dragon with their own assault rifles, but how she had gutted Mavado.

Cassie had told him what had happened...although it took Cassie a moment to calm herself down first.

 _"It was a mission given to me by Raiden, and sanctioned by Mom. I was to go and hunt down what Raiden called a 'soul-stealer.' Once I was finished, I was to report in at the Sky Temple for my debrief."_

 _"Only 'soul-stealer' I know is Shang Tsung, and he's been dead for over twenty years."_

 _"Yeah, but I thought that somehow, he was brought back to life, kinda like Uncle Jax. I was reckless, Dad. I let my pride get in the way. I was so pumped after I kicked Shinnok's bony ass that like a fool, I accepted."_

 _"It was a set-up."_

 _"Yeah. I tracked the old guy to his last known location. He didn't fight like how you and Mom described Shang Tsung to me with the soul-stealing and the shape-changing. He mimicked fighting styles. He knew that I was there to kill him, Dad, and he fought with everything he had."_

 _"You killed him, didn't you?"_

 _"Only when he told me his name, did I realize not only did I fucked up, but that Raiden played me for a fool. When I asked for his name...he told me, as if he was sad, but at the same time, relieved. His name was Shujinko, Dad. Not Shang Tsung. I was so horrified over what I had done, I ran."_

It was only when Cassie had told her father Sonya's reaction to her killing Shujinko – as Cassie called her and told her what had happened – did Johnny knew that Sonya herself had been corrupted by Raiden. His heart sank further when Cassie called Jacqui using a burned phone Johnny had, and she gave the same response nearly verbatim.

Unknown to both Sonya and Jacqui was that Cassie recorded the both of them, and played their responses to Johnny.

She fled the scene, not going directly to the Sky Temple. The trek to Hong Kong was dangerous, and it took her three days, avoiding the Lin Kuei that Raiden had sent after her. This she found out after subduing one of their number and getting the story from them.

Lord Raiden had ordered Subzero to hunt her down.

Cassie even went as far as to beat down Frost and give Subzero the slip before returning to America using a fake ID and an emergency credit card given to her by her father, shedding her uniform, destroying her phone, and donning a disguise.

It was while Cassie had told her story, the gears in Johnny's head were spinning.

The prophecy that the old man had told him three years earlier was starting to come true. He had hoped that it wouldn't come to pass, but it was starting to come true. He said that Cassie would repeat his feat of defeating Shinnok, and that came true. He said that Raiden would become corrupted from purifying the Jinsei and would to proceed to corrupt his chosen warriors. Those who had been corrupted in the past would succumb to Raiden's corruption far more easier than those who hadn't been corrupted.

And much to Johnny's dismay, by his count, at least eight people had been corrupted in the past, himself included. Whereas his daughter and honorary niece had been corrupted by the Blood Code, with himself and Sonya following thereafter, Jax, Hanzo and Kuai Liang had been Quan Chi's revenants. For Subzero, it was something of a double-whammy, as he too felt the effects of the Blood Code. Only Kenshi, Takeda and Kung Jin would put up a resistance, but would fail.

There was no way around it. He had hoped that it wouldn't have to come to this.

"Dad?"

Johnny opened his eyes. Cassie looked at him, concern on his voice, having emerged from her old bedroom, where she tried to sleep, but couldn't. She found him in the living room, hunched over in his chair, lost in his thoughts.

When he spoke, his voice was grim, the humor gone. "The old man was right...about everything."

Cassie was puzzled. "Right?" she repeated. "Right about what?"

Johnny held up a finger, as if to say, 'Just a moment.' He retrieved his phone and after scanning through several contacts, picked out Jax's number. Holding a finger to his lips, Johnny called Jax, placing the call on speaker.

"Briggs."

"'Sup, tin man?" Johnny chirped.

"What do you want now, Cage?" Jax demanded.

"Need a favor. Cassie's flight just landed and I can't pick her up."

"Cassie's here? I thought she was supposed to meet up with Lord Raiden after her assignment."

"Yeah, well...she called, saying that whatever Raiden sent her off to do has left her pretty banged up. I want you to do me a favor and take Jacqui and the guys to meet her at LAX and bring her back to the base."

A pause. Then, "Flight time and arrival?"

"Midway Airlines, flight 1225."

"All right."

"Thanks..." began Johnny

 **CLICK.**

"...a lot," Johnny finished.

"Dad...what are you doing?" Cassie asked, following her breathing a sigh of relief.

Johnny dropped the phone and crushed it under his heel repeatedly, destroying it. "We're leaving."

Cassie blinked. "Leaving?"

Johnny beckoned Cassie to follow him. Father and daughter walked down the hall, and entered the study, where Johnny began to make his final preparations. Cassie watched as her father produced two laptops, one normal, the other hardened. The latter, he stored in a knapsack, while he powered on the second one.

"It was about three years ago," the Cage patriarch began, punching in keys. "Back when you and Jacqui were finishing up your first tour together, I was approached by an old man. His name was Yao, self-proclaimed 'Sorcerer Supreme,' of which I dismissed. But he knew things about me...about Sonya...and about you. He knew that I almost died and became a revenant. He knew about Sonya's first partner and fiance. He even knew about the Blood Code, down to who corrupted who."

Cassie shuddered. Even now, the Blood Code incident still gave her nightmares.

"He came to me," the actor continued. "Told me our family's future."

"A prophecy?"

"More like the ultimate destiny of our family," Johnny replied. "One that doesn't lie in Earthrealm. Yao came from an alternative Earth. Same as ours, only difference is there's no Elder Gods, no Mortal Kombat. I've traveled there several times." He opened his drawer and pulled out a small item and tossed it to Cassie. "Catch."

Cassie caught it with one hand and looked at it. A piece of vermillion ice set as a pendant, complete with a silver chain. She could feel the power radiating off of it.

"Portal stone," her father answered her unspoken question. "A gift from Yao, only it's triggered by my inborn powers. I've checked out Yao's Earth and managed to find a fallback spot in San Francisco. I've also sent Rebecca there to make sure things are in place in the event that we need to run."

Cassie looked at her father. "You said that Aunt Rebecca was in Europe!"

"I lied. Sorry," Johnny said, shrugging his shoulders. "I sent her on ahead to make sure everything was prepared in the event that we had to leave. That and to keep her out of harm's way just in case. Anyway...Yao told me that you would go on to stop Shinnok, and save my life. He would also go on to say that Raiden would become corrupt upon purifying the Jinsei. He told me what was going to happen, how Raiden will corrupt Sonya and the others."

Cassie swallowed. "So Jacqui and the others...?"

"I'm sorry, Punkin. Raiden's turned them. Your mother too. Had you decided to follow his orders to come to the Sky Temple after killing Shujinko, you'd been corrupted as well."

"So...what do we do now?" Cassie asked. She loved a good fight, but eight corrupted kombatants plus one insane thunder god was not very good odds for her. The fact that she had to leave her friends didn't sit well with her. But her father had a point. They were outnumbered and outgunned.

Hence, the tactical withdrawal.

"While you were hiding out here, I cleaned out my bank accounts, converted the money to gold bars and dropped them off with Rebecca. Then I came back here to plan my next move."

"And you just sent Uncle Jax and my team on a wild goose chase, right?"

"You're learning, kiddo."

Cassie regarded the portal stone in her hand. Her expression fell. "What about Jacqui and the others?"

"As much as I hate to say this, they're safer here," Johnny said, taking back the portal stone. "It's Sonya that I'm worried about."

"What about Mom?" Cassie asked. "We can't just leave her. Raiden would probably punish her in our place if we run."

"I'd had hoped that I could try and get to Sonya before Raiden could get to her, but from what you've told me, we're too late to convince her to come willingly." He pocketed the item. "We're not coming back here, Cassie. SHADOW'S FALL is now in effect."

"SHADOW'S FALL?"

"A series of contingency plans I had put in place in the event that I or all of us have to leave," Johnny explained. "One: I made sure that if we did leave, that Rebecca had the finances to make sure everything was prepared for our arrival, hence me converting ninety percent of my cash into gold and taking it with her. Two: to make sure no one gets anything that can be used to track us down, I had military grade demolition charges placed in key structural points inside the house."

He pulled out two laptops. The first one he placed inside his knapsack, while the second he powered on and punches in several keys. Cassie peeked around to look at the screen, which contained a timer, set to twenty minutes, along with the following message: **ACTIVATE SHADOW'S FALL PROTOCOL? Y/N**

Johnny punched in **Y**.

A second message appeared: **WARNING: SHADOW'S FALL PROTOCOL CANNOT BE ABORTED ONCE ACTIVATED. ARE YOU SURE?**

Johnny's finger hovered over the **Y** Key. He turned to Cassie. "On my mark," he said. "Set for twenty minutes."

Almost immediately, Cassie prepped the timer on her watch for 20 minutes.

"And...mark," Johnny said, pressing the **Y** Key, Cassie starting the timer on her watch.

"What's the other laptop for?" Cassie asked.

Johnny looked at his daughter and grinned. "Oh...the portal technology from both S-F and the Lin Kuei, plus all of S-F's biomedical research. May put some of it to good use. Oh, and all our family pictures and my complete filmography."

Cassie smirked. "Does Mom know you had the S-F's mainframe hacked?"

"Nope. You can thank your Aunt Rebecca for that the next time we see her. And it was money well-spent, too," Johnny said, pulling out the portal stone.

Cassie sighed. "So many memories...I'm gonna miss this place."

"Me too, Cass..."

The moment of nostalgia was interrupted with the sound of the front door open and close. Father and daughter exchanged worried looks before they moved to the window. Looking down, they noticed a familiar-looking black military-grade Humvee with the Special Forces insignia on the hood that was parked out front.

"It's Mom," Cassie whispered.

That was verified when they heard Sonya's voice coming from downs the hall. "John?"

"Be with you in a sec," Johnny replied.

Cassie swore. "She must have made a copy of my housekey." She looked at the watch. "Eighteen minutes."

"Wait here," her father ordered.

Cassie nodded. Taking a deep breath, Johnny exited the study. 

* * *

Johnny knew that this would be trouble. With Sonya Blade, nothing was simple. She was to him, even after twenty-five years of knowing her, with eighteen of those years being married, a closed book. She was the hardest person that he had ever known.

Johnny did love her, but she divorced him because she felt that 'he was holding her back from her duties.' They had been getting along better until three weeks ago, when she went completely cold on him. Not even in the years following their separation was she this cold towards him or their daughter.

But he chalked it up to Raiden's corruption of Sonya.

General Blade had settled in, seated on the couch, waiting for his arrival. Fortunately, she was alone. The military cap was placed on the coffee table.

When Johnny entered the living area, Sonya rose from her seat. Johnny knew that something was off in regards to his ex-wife. He could actually feel the corruption radiating from her. That and her clear blue eyes had a dangerous glint to them, reminding Johnny of the Blood Code. Her body language tried to be casual, but it was like her eyes, dangerous.

"John," Sonya greeted.

"General," Johnny replied, also in the same tone.

Sonya slightly tilted her head. "You seem a bit defensive," she said.

"It's been a long day."

"One of those days, huh? I know," Sonya said. "Jax and the others are on their way to pick up Cassandra from the airport as we speak. She is in a lot of trouble with Lord Raiden."

Unknown to Sonya, she had set off the first red flag in Johnny's head. Despite her military decorum, Sonya had never addressed Raiden as 'Lord Raiden.' Maybe 'Sir,' but _never_ 'Lord Raiden.'

Another thing was that her Texan accent was bleeding through her speech. That was the second red flag. Sonya had hid her accent, making people believe that she wasn't born and raised in Austin. The only time she let the accent loose was rare.

Johnny had found it cute. Sonya hated it.

"How so?" Johnny asked as he circled Sonya, who kept him in her line of sight.

"She was supposed to report to him at the Sky Temple," Sonya replied. "Instead, I get a call from Grandmaster Liang about the broken bodies left in her wake when Raiden sent them to retrieve her."

'You mean capture,' Johnny thought darkly.

"Cassie's a bit upset over what had happened with Shujinko," Johnny said. "She believed that she was going after Shang Tsung."

"So you know about that?"

"Cass called and told me everything. Raiden set her up. He knew that the guy Cassie killed wasn't Shang Tsung."

"Shujinko's death was necessary, for crimes against Earthrealm," Sonya replied firmly. "Raiden believed that Shujinko would be the man most directly responsible for leading Earthrealm to Armageddon."

Johnny cocked an eyebrow. Sonya dismissing Shujinko's death was red flag number three. Sonya was dedicated to saving lives, not killing innocent people. And despite Shujinko's role in the Blood Code fiasco, Sonya's intentions was to detain him.

"And the fact that Raiden sent our daughter to kill an innocent man?"

"She's a soldier under my command, John," Sonya snapped. "She takes her orders from Lord Raiden just as she takes them from me."

Any other sane person would had ran...and probably gotten blasted down by Sonya's wrist bracelets. Johnny suspected that Sonya had them charged to full power, ready to stun him once he was distracted.

But any sane person wasn't Johnny Cage. He remained cool as a cucumber, drawing on over thirty years' worth of acting experience to keep Sonya in the dark.

He was thankful that he had his sunglasses on, otherwise, Sonya would had seen his eyes looking at their daughter, having snuck out of the study, who now was sneaking up behind her, her father's Glock pistol in hand. He knew that he needed to keep Sonya distracted.

"And me," Johnny replied. "Are you...okay, Sonya? You seem a bit...off."

"I'm...I'm fine, John," Sonya replied, arms extended in an exaggerated gesture of happiness. "Never better in all my life." She lowered her arms. She was within double-arms reach of him. "Lord Raiden came to me, and explained everything. We've been going about Earthrealm's defense entirely wrong."

"Enlighten me."

"Raiden showed me the right path," Sonya explained. "All threats to Earthrealm will be destroyed: Chaosrealm, Outworld, even the Netherrealm if Liu and Kitana didn't get the message Lord Raiden delivered to them."

"Message?" Johnny parroted, confused.

"He presented Liu and Kitana with Shinnok's head," Sonya explained.

"Sounds to me that Rai-dude is the second coming of Shinnok," Johnny said.

He found himself staring down Sonya's wrist gauntlet. Behind Sonya, Cassie aimed her Glock at Sonya's shoulder.

"You will be more respectful of Lord Raiden," Sonya snapped.

"I think he'd be pissed if any harm came to his chosen champion," Johnny noted.

Sonya considered that thought for a moment. Then, she lowered her aim (and Cassie doing the same with her own gun). "You're right. I apologize."

"Sonya, listen to me," Johnny said in a calm, firm tone. "Raiden's corrupted you. He's corrupted Jax and the others. I know you. This isn't you."

"You don't get it, do you?" Sonya retorted. "Lord Raiden didn't corrupt me. You will see soon enough, just as the others have done."

"The others?"

"Jax, Kenshi, Hanzo, Kuai Liang, and Cassie's teammates."

Cassie mentally swore in her mind as her grip on her pistol tightened. Sonya had just confirmed what her father had told her in regards to her teammates.

"You and Cassie are the last, and the most dangerous," Sonya continued. "Both you and Cassandra defeated Shinnok..."

"...and Raiden wants our heads?" Johnny retorted.

Sonya shook her head. "No...no! He doesn't want to see any harm come to either of you! You're Earthrealm's chosen champion! Cassie can be the same! Even more than just a Sergeant!"

The corrupted general took a step closer towards her ex-husband, while Cassie did the same.

"Johnny...listen to me," Sonya said. "For once, try and see reason. Raiden only want what is best for Earthrealm. Just let  
him show you the truth, Johnny. Then you'll understand. You can understand, and Cassie will fall in line. We can be a family again, the three of us. Just like what you wanted...what Cassie wanted."

The proper speech was now gone, Sonya having relapsed into her husky Texan accent.

'Just a bit closer,' both Johnny and Cassie thought.

"I was a fool to leave you," Sonya continued, her voice in a breathy whisper. "I know you want me. Why else would you agree to train Cassie and the others?" She even went as far as to unzip her jacket, giving him a good view of her cleavage. "Think of it as not joining Raiden, but rather joining me. Liu Kang has Kitana, and I want you."

Cassie noticed her mother's hand balling into a fist, preparing to blast her father with the gauntlet. She reversed her grip on the Glock, now gripping the barrel.

"The offer is tempting..." Johnny mused. He removed his glasses, so that he could look Sonya in her eyes. "...and I have missed being with you, Sonya..." He then looked at Cassie, now within striking distance, slowly raising her hand, Cassie gripping the Glock's barrel. "What do you think, Cass?"

Sonya's eyes widened as she spun around...

 **CRACK.**

...just as Cassie smashed the handle of her pistol into her mother's face with all her might. Sonya dropped like a sack of potatoes. Johnny crouched down and checked for a pulse. Sonya was still alive.

"Y'know, if it wasn't for the fact that we were running, I'd probably get court-martialed for knocking out the General," Cassie mused.

"Get the laptop, Cass," her father ordered. "I got Sonya." He looked at his watch. "Shit. Ten minutes."

Cassie nodded and ran off to the study. Meanwhile, Johnny had removed Sonya's gauntlets and spare demolitions. Rather than just leave them when the place blew, Johnny pocketed the gauntlets, promising to return them to Sonya once she was free of Raiden's corruption.

The second thing that Johnny retrieved was the bronze talisman Sonya used to communicate with Raiden. As he considered tossing it to the floor, it came to life, and Johnny found himself looking at a projected image of the dark thunder god himself.

"Sonya Blade, were you..." Raiden caught himself when he found out that he was not looking at one brainwashed general, but rather one pissed off ex-husband of said brainwashed general. "Johnny Cage. Where is General Blade?"

Johnny tilted the talisman, allowing Raiden to see her crumpled form on the ground. "Sonya's a bit indisposed at the moment," he replied. "Real cute, trying to sucker me in using my ex-wife."

A loud thunderclap was heard outside. Then a second. Smirking, Johnny walked over to the window and looked outside. There, standing beside Sonya's Humvee, and looking very irate, was Raiden himself.

Johnny turned from the window and walked back to Sonya. She was still out cold. "Wondering why you can't teleport into my home, Sparky? Performance issues much?"

"You try my patience, Johnny Cage," Raiden seethed. "Liu Kang wasn't as troublesome as you."

"Amazing what wards and charms can do," Johnny said, mentally thanking Yao for warding his home, barring Raiden from entry. "Very effective in keeping out uninvited guests." His expression fell back into seriousness. "I know what you did, Raiden. You corrupted Sonya and the others."

"You call it corruption," Raiden insisted, "I merely showed them the truth."

"Your truth, not ours. You sound an awful lot like Quan Chi," Johnny noted, as Cassie ran back into the room, satchel slung over one shoulder.

"Five minutes, Dad!" Cassie shouted.

"So...your daughter was here all along," Raiden muttered, turning to face the female Cage. "You disappoint me, Cassandra Cage."

"You knew that the guy I killed wasn't Shang Tsung," Cassie accused.

"True. But Shujinko was a threat. And you needed to be humbled following your victory over Shinnok."

"Jealous that I was able to stop him when you couldn't?" Cassie taunted.

"Mind your tongue, young one."

"Fuck you, Raiden. I don't take orders from you, Raiden. Not anymore. You've lost it," Cassie snapped.

"Same goes for me," seconded Johnny. "Consider this my resignation as your champion. Oh, and we're both taking Sonya with us."

"And where will you go?" Raiden demanded. "Outworld? Kotal Kahn wants your heads. Seido? Hotaru will repatriate all of you. Liu Kang and Kitana would rather kill the three of you should you try and flee to the Netherrealm. There is no place where you can hide from me. I will find you. All of you. If you are not for Earthrealm, then you are against me."

"Then the next time we meet, we'll be enemies," Johnny said, tossing the talisman to the side. After restraining his unconscious ex-wife, Johnny pulled out the portal stone, and began to focus his inborn energies into the item. Seconds passed. Then, behind Johnny a portal shimmered into existence.

Outside, arcs of lighting tried to shatter the windows, but to no avail.

"Raiden's outside?!" Cassie gasped.

Johnny adjusted Sonya's weight. "Don't worry. He can't get inside." He placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "We'll come back to free the others. I promise."

Cassie nodded. "Let's go."

Father, daughter, and one unconscious ex-wife made their final exit, leaving behind everything they knew, the portal winking out from behind them. 

* * *

The Netherrealm, around the same time.

She had been in hiding this entire time, secretly biding her time.

The other revenants thought her to be dead, having been slain during the Netherrealm War, her soul obliterated. But in truth, she fled that cursed realm when Shinnok was sealed inside his own amulet by Raiden after being beaten by Johnny Cage.

But what really made Jade laugh was that Kitana had lost to the daughter of the aforementioned Cage during the second battle at the Sky Temple. Both her and Sindel, the former who could had easily killed the young fighter. Jade knew that Kitana was powerful. Shao Kahn made sure of that.

Jade had watched the attack from the shadows, waiting for her own time to strike. But she relented once Team S-F stormed the Sky Temple.

Jade had long since foreseen her own demise at the hands of Sindel during Kahn's failed invasion, which is why she had initiated a fallback plan. Jade knew what was to come in a series of dreams, showing her future events: Kahn's invasion...Sindel's resurrection and deadly housecall on the Forces of Light...her resurrection as a revenant at the hands of Quan Chi...and Shinnok's first defeat.

What Quan Chi nor Shinnok did not take into consideration was that Jade herself had descended from a line of Edenian mystics who had the power to revive the dead. Not unlike the revenants themselves, but completely alive. It was a secret she had kept from Shao Kahn, and from Kitana for her own protection.

Using the spell to restore her soul (and life) had hurt like bloody blazes, and it had left Jade bedridden for several days. The spell could only be used two times. Jade would die if she tried it a third time.

With Shinnok's second defeat and Quan Chi dead at the hands of Hanzo Hasashi, Jade decided that now it was the time to act.

Getting into the Netherrealm was easy enough. In the twenty-five years following her flight from the Netherrealm, Jade had spent that time in Outworld, teaching herself sorcery, and learning from the few remaining masters of the arcane who were in hiding. Jade was no Shang Tsung or Quan Chi, but her skills were more than a match for Kotal Kahn.

Jade had heard that Kitana and Liu Kang had set themselves up as the Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm following Quan Chi's death and Shinnok's second defeat, with Sindel and Kung Lao as their top generals, Nightwolf as their senior adviser, and Noob Saibot, Enenra, Kurtis Stryker and Kabal as their lieutenants. They had claimed Quan Chi's fortress as their own, yet were unable to duplicate the revenant spell, thankfully.

The plan was simple: get Liu and Kitana out of the Netherrealm and restore their souls and lives. But given the fact that Raiden had corrupted himself by purifying the Jinsei and had proceeded to corrupt his chosen warriors, Earthrealm was out of the question.

Then, she received visions of a different Earth, one where the Elder Gods nor Mortal Kombat existed. A perfect place for the three to rebuild.

First, however, she needed to get the attention of the Emperor and Empress.

Killing off several Oni? They would probably send one of their lieutenants. But beating down Kung Lao and Sindel when you happen to stumble upon them by chance at the Krossroads? Even better.

Jade knew Kitana better than anyone. She would not let such an affront slide.

Dressed in dark clothes, concealed by the dark hooded cloak that concealed her face, Jade sat on a rough piece of stone, a hand-carved flute in her hand. She had been playing it to kill time, but had gotten bored with it.

Jade picked up the hooves of demonic horses. Looking to her left, she could see the Emperor and Empress riding hard to her location, followed by their undead subordinates. The Emerald Assassin grinned as she rose to her feet, gently sweeping the dust from her cloak as they came to a stop.

"Is this her?" Liu asked.

"It is, my Emperor," Sindel replied. "She was the one who initiated kombat with Kung Lao and myself."

"You are either very brave or very foolish to attack my generals," Liu growled as he and Kitana dismounted from their demonic horses.

"Who are you, and your reasons on why we should not kill you?" Kitana added.

Jade removed her hood, showing her face. "I've come to pay homage," she replied.

Kitana's reddish-golden eyes widened in shock, as did Liu's and the others. "Jade..." Kitana whispered, shocked beyond belief that her childhood friend, thought to have been dead, was alive.

"How..." Liu began.

Jade cut him off. "...did I escape Quan Chi and Shinnok? My death was inevitable, but not even they realized that I knew the secret to truly restoring my soul and my life." She gestured to the concrete-gray skin, the yellowish veins and the fiery eyes. "Not the mockery that Quan Chi and Shinnok so favors. Yes, I am alive and well, and have been for the past twenty-three years."

"Impossible..." Liu said.

"Yet, Raiden did the same to Hanzo Hasashi, Kuai Liang and Jackson Briggs," Jade pointed out.

"Do not speak his name in my presence," Liu growled.

"Liu...calm," Kitana ordered. Turning back to Jade, she asked, "Why are you here?"

"I made a promise to you, Kitana," Jade replied. "A promise to defend you. I honor that, even now. Your place isn't here as a revenant of Hell, nor is it in Earthrealm and Outworld."

"Jackson Briggs said the same thing," Kitana rebuked, hand slowly going for her bladed fans. "And as I have told him, being a revenant suits me. I am a victim no longer."

"Not the proper way to assert yourself, Kitana," Jade noted.

"Jax said that as well. Edenia is gone. I have no desire to take Outworld's throne for myself." She gestured to the Netherrealm with one hand. "This is my home now." She looked at Liu. "And I have my Emperor with me." She turned back to Jade. "Because of our friendship, I will give you one chance."

"And that is...?"

"Kneel before your Emperor and Empress," Kitana demanded. "Kneel and swear your fealty. You know what will happen should you refuse."

Jade instead, grinned evilly. "You took the words right out of my mouth," she said, raising one hand, palm outstretched, the hand encased in a soft, golden glow.

The Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm both cried out in pain as their bodies betrayed them, Liu and Kitana falling to their knees. Sindel and the others were of no help, as Jade quickly turned her attention to them next.

In Ancient Edenian, Jade intoned, "Bound by steel!"

From out of nowhere, steel chains ensnared the other revenants, the chains wrapping around their torsos (and around Sindel's neck to keep her from using her hair and scream). The horses, unable to carry the extra weight, bucked, throwing their riders off before running off further into the Netherrealm.

With Sindel and the others properly subdued, Jade turned to Liu and Kitana. "Traitor!" Kitana shouted. "Release us! Now!"

"I can't do that, Kitana," Jade replied, sadly. "Not yet. I told you that I swore my life to your service. Even now, I honor my vow, even if it means protecting you from yourself."

Jade placed both hands on the Emperor and Empress' foreheads. "Sleep."

Liu and Kitana keeled over, out cold before they hit the ground. With Liu and Kitana incapacitated, Jade proceeded to open a portal. Using a levitate spell to lift Kitana and Liu off the ground, Jade sent them both through the portal. Turning back to the still bound revenants, she said, "You will never see them again. Take comfort that they are now in good hands, and will be given a second chance."

To Kung Lao and Sindel, Jade said, "Congratulations. The Netherrealm is now your responsibility."

The portal winked out of existence once Jade walked through it. Upon disappearing, the chains that held Sindel and the other in place dispersed.

So ended the rule of Liu Kang and Kitana, the Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm. 

* * *

Back in Earthrealm...

To say that Raiden was furious was an understatement. He had been angry when Havik freed Shinnok's amulet from the dimension he had placed it in for safekeeping. He was angry at D'Vorah for manipulating Kotal Kahn and working with Quan Chi.

But now, Johnny and Cassandra Cage topped that list.

It had been easy to corrupt those using Shinnok's essence, playing on their emotions, their weaknesses. For those who had been corrupted in the past, they were the easiest to convert, such as Hanzo, Jax and his daughter, Kuai Liang and Sonya. Kenshi and Takeda had to be subdued, as did Kung Jin.

That left Johnny and Cassie.

He had expected to see Cassie arrive at the Sky Temple after killing Shujinko. But she chose to run instead. Then he ordered Kuai Liang to use the Lin Kuei to bring her in. But she managed to elude them, and returned to America, safe and under her father's protection.

He had expected Johnny to play the fool and fall for Sonya's trap. But that didn't go as planned. Now, he was down three kombatants.

After Johnny had ended the call, Raiden had contacted Hanzo and Kenshi, along with Jax and Team S-F, ordering them to converge onto the Cage residence, with orders to retrieve Sonya and to bring Johnny and Cassie in, to which he would deal with them personally.

What he, nor did his corrupted champions didn't expect was to be blown back by the force of the explosion as Johnny Cage's home erupted in a geyser of flame and smoke, flaming debris raining down on the street, some of it crashing onto Sonya's Humvee.

Raiden turned to his corrupted charges as they pulled themselves back to their feet. "They are not dead," he intoned, his fiery golden eyes ablaze in fury. "They have escaped." He turned to Hanzo and Kuai Liang. "Leave no stone unturned. I want them found. I don't care if they went to the Netherrealm! I want them found!"

The grandmasters of the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei both bowed and rushed off to obey. Raiden returned to the Sky Temple in a bolt of lightning. Meanwhile, something caught Jacqui's eye. A picture, one corner of it ablaze, fluttered to the ground. It was a picture of Team S-F, following Shinnok's defeat.

Her face devoid of emotion, Jacqui watched as the flames consumed the photograph. But somewhere within the recesses of her mind, she wondered if she would see her best friend again.


	2. OMAKE: The Phoenix Four

**OMAKE: THE PHOENIX FOUR**

Snafu's Notes: So with the first chapter I posted, I originally had it where Sonya avoided being corrupted and Cassie ended up being the one corrupted, but was subdued by her parents.

This was the original first chapter for Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe before I scrapped it. This chapter, Raiden sends Team S-F to the Netherrealm instead of going himself. And it starts of with Erron Black's ending in which he guns down Team S-F.

 _The Phoenix Force. Considered to be one of the oldest cosmic entities in existence that represents lift which hasn't been born. Immortal. Indestructable. Mutable. It is a child of the universe, the nexus of all psionic energy which exists in the realms. The Phoenix is worshipped...and feared, as it has the ability to create and destroy._

 _And it's here, in Earthrealm. I should know, because my daughter is one of four hosts. Maybe it chose her because of her warrior bloodline. Or maybe it chose her because she was corrupted in the past alongside her best friend. We will never know. Had it just been Cassie as its host, the power would had driven her insane. But it had split its power amongst her team, making them even more powerful._

 _Some say even more powerful than Raiden._

 _It granted them abilities...and amplified their own strengths. One ability they all share are psionic abilities, while it improved on Takeda's own. Keeping these four in check has made my job a lot harder. My ex-wife sees them as a deterant, as does Raiden. And after Shinnok's defeat, I hate to say that they're both right. Earthrealm has too many enemies from Outworld to the Netherrealm. And there's so much that we can do._

 _It all came down following Shinnok's second defeat. We thought Earthrealm was safe. But we were wrong._

\- Johnny Cage.

Earthrealm, some time after Shinnok's second defeat.

It was nothing personal. Just good business.

Erron Black had his own grievances with Earthrealm, primarily the quintet of kombatants that he had been stalking for the past week. Following Shinnok's second defeat and the retreat back into Outworld, Kotal Kahn had been furious. So much so that he had given Erron this mission: eliminate Cassandra Cage's team. With extreme prejudice.

"It is said that a parent's worst fear is to outlive one's child," Kotal had said when he had given Black the assignment. "There are many ways to kill, Erron Black. Flesh can tear, and bones can shatter. But to destroy your enemies' spirit...that is how you truly destroy them. I will rob Raiden's champions of their progeny."

Erron had lived for over a century, thanks to Shang Tsung's sorcery which had slowed his aging. He was a patient man, a methodical man. All he needed was the perfect opportunity to strike before returning to Outworld.

And it came.

Sneaking onto the military base was easy enough. He had identified their aircraft, located on the far side of the runway, near an unused hangar, as he remembered seeing it in the forests near the Sky Temple. And the opportinuty came when his four targets came into view.

Cassandra Cage. Jacqueline Briggs. Takahashi Takeda. Kung Jin.

The back to the aircraft was open, and the two girls were in the front. Both were unarmed, Erron noticed; Cassie did not have her pistols or baton, Jacqui's arms were free of the metallic mostronsities she frequently wore. Jin looked bored and was complaining of the mission at hand, while Takeda stifled a yawn.

'Too easy,' Erron thought as he hid behind several crates, fingertips on the handle of his revolvers. 'Like lambs to the slaughter.'

He saw that Cassie was in the lead. Once she reached the top of the ramp, he would strike.

Erron mentally counted down. 'Three...two...one...'

Without warning, the gunslinger struck.

Cassie was at the top of the ramp when she cried out in pain and fell, crimson staining her bodysuit, her sunglasses clattering onto the aircraft's floor, Erron pumping two bullets into the daughter of Johnny Cage, obliterating her kidney and dmaaging her liver. She would bleed out in a matter of minutes.

She had been shielding her face when she fell. 'Lot of good it did her in the end,' Erron mentally snorted before turning his guns on Jacqui.

The dark-skinned woman was the second to fall, Erron pumping a couple of rounds into her lungs and heart. She crumpled face-down onto the ramp, one leg dangling from the ramp's walkway, a look of shock on her face as the life drained from her body.

The Shirai Ryu runt was a bit tougher. Which is why Erron went for a headshot. Takeda's left eye exploded, blood spraying from the bloodied socket. The second headshot did him in as he fell at Jacqui's feet.

Erron wanted Kung Jin to suffer, which is why he unloaded his remaining rounds into his chest. One bullet per lung.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Team S-F had been assassinated.

Or, so he thought.

* * *

Moments earlier, on the hangar's rooftop...

Takahashi Takeda had to admit, as he focused his powers on Erron Black, making him think that he had gunned down himself and his teammates, that Cassie's plan had worked to perfection.

The powers of the Phoenix Force had amplified his telekinesis, while at the same time granting Cassie, Jin and Jacqui psionic abilities of their own. It did make him feel good that his own abilities were the strongest of them all, of which Cassie admitted.

Tracking Erron down whilst he was hiding on base was easy. They had came upon him as he slept, Takeda using his powers to render him into a deep slumber. Upon reading his mind, the quintet of kombatants had discovered that it had been Kotal Kahn who had signed their death warrants.

So rather than kill the gunslinger outright, Cassie came up with a plan.

Said plan was to fool Erron into gunning down herself and her teammates. In truth, had anyone else been there, all they would have seen was Erron Black unloading his revolvers into nothing. It would have been amusing to watch, had it not been for the fact that it very well could be their bodies on the aircraft's ramp instead of the mental projection Takeda was feeding Erron's mind.

Only then, would Erron Black pay for his crimes.

Cassie turned to the others and mouthed one word. "Showtime."

* * *

They were dead. No movement, no sign of life. Erron had to make sure of that. He took the moment to reload his revolvers, looking for any signs of life from his targets. There was none.

"Nothing personal," he said, knowing that the dead could not hear him. "Just good business. You four have been a pain in the ass for Kotal Kahn, not to mention myself." He holstered his revolvers. "Now, the problem has been rectified."

"You'd think that, would you?" a male voice said from behind him.

Erron froze. He recognized that voice almost immediately. The voice in question was that of the Shaolin. The same one he had just gunned down along with his teammates.

'Impossible...' Erron thought, staring numbly at the four bodies.

Now, his eyes were deceiving him, as the bodies vanished, as if they were fine grains of sand caught on the wind until there was nothing there. No bodies, no blood, nothing. The only thing that was there were the bullet marks on the aircraft's ramp.

"And here," a female's voice – Cassie Cage, Erron knew – drawled, "is at the exact moment...Erron Black knew he fucked up."

Erron spun around, revolvers in his hands, ready to unload its deadly payload...

...but only to have his guns forcibly yanked from his hands. Black had suspected that it was Ermac's work, as he was a telepath.

But much to his horror, it wasn't Ermac, but rather Cassie Cage who had willed his revolvers out of his hands, and into her own oustretched ones.

 **BLAM! BLAM!**

Erron screamed as he felt his kneecaps being blown out by the younger Cage. Gravity now taking over, he fell on his destroyed knees, causing him to cry out even more.

Flanked by Jacqui, Takeda and Jin, weapons at the ready, Cassie casually twirled Erron's revolvers, the light reflecting off her aviator shades.

"H...How?!" Erron gasped.

"Oh, we knew you were here for a while now," Cassie replied, dropping the revolvers. "We just wanted to see how far you would go."

"We also know it was Kotal Kahn who had ordered our deaths," Takeda said, tapping his own head with his hand. "Bad news for you, Black. Your life is forfeit. General Blade's orders."

"I'm impossible to kill," Erron grated. "You think my death will stop Kotal?"

Cassie raised one hand. A ball of fire erupted in her hand, the size of her father's emerald-tinted fireballs. "No. But it will send him a message." She paused for a moment. "Shang Tsung has granted you what could amount to be eternal life. I wonder what would happen if we decide to expose you to the cosmic fire of the Phoenix?"

"He dies," Jacqui guessed.

"Or he'll wish he did," added Jin.

Cassie grinned evilly. "Let's put that to the test, shall we?" With that said, Cassie flung the cosmic fireball at Black.

The report of thunder heralded the arrival of Raiden, temporary blocking out Erron's screams. The dark thunder god approached Cassie and her team, a satchel in his hands.

Cassie and her team were well-aware of Raiden's arrival. Turning from the screaming, burning body of Erron Black, they nod their heads in greeting.

"Lord Raiden," the quintet said as one.

"Your suspicions were correct?" Raiden asked, looking at the twitching, burning form of Black.

Cassie pointed to the still-burning man. "Kotal Kahn sent Erron Black to kill us." A quick probe into Raiden's mind and Cassie showed him Erron's thoughts.

"The Osh-Tekk fool tries my patience," Raiden grumbled. "Sonya Blade was correct in seeing that Black was a threat. I will deal with Kotal Kahn myself. Cassandra Cage, I have a mission for you and your team. You are to go to the Netherrealm and give the Emperor and Empress this..." He handed Cassie the satchel. "...and my message. Earthrealm will be defended at all costs."

"It shall be done," Kung Jin said.

Raiden nodded and disappeared in a bolt of lightning. Curious as to what was inside the satchel due to the blood seeping out, Cassie opened it and peeked inside. Inside was a head, having been wrenched off its neck.

But it was no ordinary head. It was the head of Shinnok, still alive and in terrible, unspeakable pain.

Jin, Jacqui and Takeda peeked into the satchel. "Ouch. Sucks to be him," Jin said.

"Yeah, no kidding," Jacqui said as Cassie closed the satchel. She looked at her friend. "Well, Cass?"

Cassie sighed. "Looks like we're going to the Netherrealm. Which means that now, the gloves come off." For a bried moment, Cassie's irises turned red before reverting back to normal. "If Liu and Kitana wants a fight, then they'll regret that decision."

* * *

The Netherrealm – The Fortress.

Quan Chi was able to claim one final soul to create as a revenant before his capture.

The soul was that of Mileena.

Following her grisly execution at the hands of D'Vorah, Quan Chi had ensnared Mileena's soul, just as he had done with Raiden's chosen warriors over twenty years earlier, twisting their minds to the point that they would serve the Netherrealm, their old lives gone.

Mileena, on the other hand, was being worked over by Kitana, inside the fortress' throne room. From his place on his throne, clad in finely-crafted armor, Liu Kang watched as his Empress beat down her undead clone. Also watching were the remnants of Quan Chi's revenants: Kabal, Kurtis Stryker, Enenra, Kung Lao, Nightwolf, and Sindel. Kung Lao and Sindel were Liu and Kitana's generals, Nightwolf was the shaman and adviser, and Stryker, Kabal and Enenra was the muscle.

Mileena had challenged both Liu and Kitana for the throne of the Netherrealm. Kitana had accepted on behalf of both Liu and herself.

Suffice to say, the match was not going in Mileena's favor. Then again, it hasn't been ever since Liu gave the order to begin.

The match didn't even last for less than three minutes, as Mileena found herself facedown on the floor. Kitana's booted foot pinning her head to the floor.

"Get up again, and you die," Kitana threatened. "Yield...and live."

A side glance at Stryker and Mileena heard the sound of a pistol's safety flipping off, followed by a nine-milimmeter round being jacked into the chamber.

"Make your choice, Mileena. Or I'll make it for you," threatened Kitana.

Mileena growled. "I...yield."

Kitana removed her foot from the back of Mileena's skull. "Challenge me again at your own risk," the Empress threatened. She returned to her throne and sat back down, barely winded. "You are no longer Kahnum. Then again, you never were."

Mileena scrambled to her knees, the anger in her red-golden eyes not abating.

"I am Emperess here. I am you superior," Kitana intoned. "You would be wise to remember that."

Before Mileena couls retort with a scathing reply, a portal winked into existence behind her. The Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm were cutious as to who would dare enter their throne room, let alone the Netherrealm itself.

Their unspoken questions were answered when Cassandra Cage emerged from the portal, followed by her teammates. The last time the revenants had seen the quintet of kombatants was back at the Sky Temple, in which they were successful in stopping Shinnok.

However, as Liu and the others took notice, there was something...off about Team S-F. Maybe it was that all four were now clad in black clothing with dark red trim. Or maybe their eyes had momentarily been red before reverting back to normal.

Either way, Liu and Kitana knew that this encounter with the new geenration of kombatants would not end well. Liu and Kitana had hoped that it it would not end well for this newest breed of warriors.

A silent signal from Kitana and the gathered revenats were on alert, ready for anything

Cassie looked around the throne room, the portal blinking out from behind her and her team. It was well-furnished, but still too gloomy for her tastes. "I see you and Kitana didn't waste any time in taking moving in after I kicked Shinnok's face in."

"Cassandra Cage..." Kitana seethed, hand balled into a fist.

"You remember me, Princess. I would say I'm honored, but I'd probably wouldn't mean it."

"How could we forget the pathethic little child of idiot parents?" Liu sneered.

"See, now you're being a dick," Cassie chided. "I'd hope that ass-kicking that Uncle Jax gave you had knocked some sense into your thick skull. Guess I was wrong." She flicked her head towards Kitana. "Maybe the princess is the more levelheaded than you."

"You are a disgrace to the Shaolin," Jin added.

"If there is one who is the disgrace, it is you, cousin," Kung Lao sneered, glaring at his cousin. "Oh, yes. I know well of your sexuality. And the Shaolin accepted you?"

"So Jin is gay," Jacqui said. "He's ten times more of a warrior than you, Liu Kang lite."

"Enough!" Liu bellowed. He calmed down, but his golden eyes stared down at the female Cage. "You dare waltz into my home, bold as you please. You have no idea of the predicament that you are in. We hold no allegiance to either Earthrealm or Outworld."

"Yet...you desire to conquer the realms," Cassie noted. "Trying to carry on Shinnok's work? Look where that got him. In fact, the one who beat him into the ground was me."

Sindel broke her silence for the first time. "Impossible. Shinnok is an Elder God."

"Fallen Elder God," Jacqui grounded. "The Elder Gods booted his ass."

"The fools who followed an even bigger fool," Cassie noted. "Shinnok and Quan Chi played my parents and all of you like fools. I know about the original timeline...about Onaga and Armageddon. What better way to get rid of deadly threats than to make them one's allies?"

"What are you proposing, Cage?" Liu snarled. "That I go crawling back to Raiden, hoping that he restores me to champion? He murdered me!"

"Your death was your own damn fault, Liu. And Dad has the champion role down pat."

Liu was now at the end of his patience. "And I will give Johnny Cage a new role: that of a grieving father." To the revenants, he barked out, "Kill them!"

Cassie smiled meanly. "I don't think so, Liu," she said as her eyes began to glow, as did the others.

The revenants that surrounded them froze in place. Then they found their own respective weapons turned upon themselves; Stryker had his gun jammed under his chin, Nightwolf found his tomahawk resting against his carotid artery, Kabal's was about to fall on his own hookswords, Mileena's sais were also jammed under her own chin, Enera's hands were on his head, preparing to snap his own neck, and Kung Lao's hat was in his hands, preparing to drive it into his own skull.

Sindel, on the other hand, tried to attack Jacqui. Eyes redder than what they were under the Blood Code, Jacqui raised her hand. Sindel stumbled to her knees, an intense pressure on her neck, cutting off her airflow. Then, she found herself being lifted into the air, choking trying to take breath, but was unable to.

In a flash, Kitana was on her feet. But Cassie leveled her gave upon the former Edenian princess, her own crimson eyes concealed by her shades. Kitana froze, then found her own bladed fans at her own throat, eyes widened in fear.

Cassie wagged a finger. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know, you suck as a host, Liu," she quipped. "I'd think your next move very carefully, as the lives of your Empress and your friends depend on it."

Liu looked at his now-terrified Empress, bladed fans at her own throat. Then he looked at the revenants, which were held in place by the young upstart's allies.

"Do you know what happens when a revenant dies, Liu Kang?" Cassie asked, removing her shades, giving the Emperor and Empress a clear view of her crimson eyes. "The soul is not revived, but rather obliterated." She turned from Liu and her gaze settled on Mileena. Without warning, Cassie raised one hand, stretched it out towards Mileena, and the gloved hand became a fist.

Without hesitation, the revanant drove her own sai into her brain, and dropped like a sack of potatoes. Mileena's corpse then disintegrated into nothing, the ashes blown away on an unknown wind.

"Does that convince you of how serious we are?" Cassie asked as she unclenched her hand. She then turned towards Kitana. "Or do you need another lesson?"

"All right...all right!" Liu shouted, fear finally showing on his features. "You've made your point! No more!"

' **Let them go,** ' Cassie ordered.

Jacqui, Takeda and Jin complied, albeit reluctantly for Jacqui, as she would like nothing more to do than to break Sindel's neck, their eyes going from crimson back to normal. But Cassie kept her hold on Kitana. "Tell your men to stand down, Liu," Cassie ordered.

Giving Cassie the most hate-filled stare that would rival the one he gave to Raiden before he died, Liu gave the order to back off. "Stand down. All of you."

Sindel and the revenants backed off, but were ready for anything should Team S-F tried anything funny. "I've done what you have asked!" Liu snapped. "Release Kitana!"

"As you wish," Cassie replied nonchalantly.

Kitana found herself in control of her own body, her fans clattering to the floor.

"What you have witnessed is but a demonstration of what we are capable of," Jin said. "I believe that you are aware of the Phoenix Force?"

Nightwolf's eyes widened, as did Kung Lao and Liu Kang's. All three men had heard of it.

Cassie enjoyed the look of realization on Liu's face. "Ah...so you have heard of it. The Force is here...inside myself and my teamates. The power of life and death at our fingertips. Now to the reason why we are here."

"We're here on behalf of Raiden, God of Thunder and Lightning, and Protector of Earthrealm," Takeda said. "If you know what's best, then I suggest you listen."

Liu huffed. "Fine. Speak your terms."

"We're not here to offer terms, Liu," corrected Jin. "We're here to give you a warning."

"A warning?" Liu repeated.

Adjusting her satchel, Cassie began to speak, having been designated as the unofficial speaker of the group.

"Far too long, have Raiden allowed Earthrealm to endure the horrors that constant war had wrought upon us. Be it Outworld or anyone else, we have defeated our enemies."

Liu and Kitana noticed that the carefree tone in Cassie's voice was gone. Now, it was as if Sonya was speaking to them, only with more power and authority.

"Earthrealm has taken on all comers. Shao Kahn, Quan Chi, even Shinnok," Cassie continued. "But did we ask for coin for services rendered? Did we exact vengeance on those who dared to attack us? No. We didn't." She took a step forward. "I'll tell you what we gained for showing both mercy and restraint. What we got was more intrigue and even more violence!"

The revenants flinched at the power Cassie had put into her voice. Cassie smirked briefly before stepping back.

"As the both of you are the new rulers of the Netherrealm, if you know what's good for you and the other revenants, then listen the words of Lord Raiden. We will no longer just defend the Realm of Earth. We will destroy all who threaten us. Beg for mercy? You shall receive none. Ask for quarter? None will be given."

Cassie opened the satchel and reached inside. Cassie produced Shinnok's head and held it high, savoring the looks of disbelief and horror on the revenants' faces as she showed them Raiden's grisly trophy. Then, with disdain, she tossed it to the floor.

"Lord Raiden wasn't very pleased with Shinnok's attempt to resume his war against the Elder Gods," Cassie said, gesturing to the head. "That's his handiwork."

Cassie's eyes glowed red once again. " **This is your only warning** **.** " She gestured to Shinnok. " **Your fallen lord was an Elder God. Said to be impossible to kill.** "

Jacqui's eyes, along with Takeda's and Jin's eyes, once again showed crimson. As one, the Phoenix Four uttered, " **There are fates worse than death.** "

Four pillars of flame erupted, consuming the quintet. When the flames dispersed, only scorch marks on the carpet and on the floor remained. The group of revenants looked at the severed head, before looking at each other, looks ranging from worried to concerned on their faces.

One thing was for certain: all bets were now off.


	3. 1: Arrivals

**Chapter One: Arrivals**

Kamar-Taj, the Himalayas (Earth-616)

Kamar-Taj: a secluded community nestled in the Himalayan Mountains near Tibet. The town has long since been the home of sorcerers and mystics seeking knowledge and enlightenment.

For Johnny Cage and his daughter, it was a place of temporary refuge. Ever since accepting an invitation to an unknown tournament some twenty-five years ago, his life had turned out to be more stranger than any of his films ever since that fateful day

So when stepping through the portal from Earthrealm to escape a corrupted thunder god alongside his daughter and his ex-wife (unwillingly for the latter), finding out that stepping through a portal that somehow shaved off thirty years off of himself and said ex-wife, while de-aging their daughter to the age of six, he didn't see it as weird.

After all, Johnny did survive Mortal Kombat, sorcerers, undead warriors, rampaging gods, freaky blood magik...and being married to Sonya.

Somehow, rather than San Francisco, the displaced (and de-aged) Cage family found themselves in front of Kamar-Taj's gates, where Yao himself was waiting for him. Yao had opened his own home to the Cage family, but for Sonya's safety (and that of her own), she was left restrained and locked in a guest room.

Using the portal stone had taken a lot out of Johnny, meaning that he would need time to recover. Sonya, in the meantime, was taken and restrained in a spare bedroom.

That was two days ago.

Cassie, in the meantime, was in a foul mood. Two days ago, she was approaching her twenty-third birthday. Now, she was six again. Six years old and while she can still fight, there was no way she can defend herself. On the flip side, her mind would remain at the age of twenty-two, until she reached the age she was when she went through the portal, so that brought her some comfort.

"Honestly, I was hoping that what you had said wouldn't come to pass," Johnny said as he walked alongside Yao down a corridor, Cassie in his arms. "But I saw how Raiden fell further and further into the corruption with each passing day..."

"You knew you had to act," Yao said. "While you couldn't save your friends, you did save your family."

"Mom doesn't see it that way," Cassie said.

"Yes...the corruption that Raiden had inflicted upon her remains," the older man replied. "And will remain in the foreseeable future."

"But...can you remove it? You can fix her, right?" Cassie asked.

Yao turned and looked at Cassie. "Of course, child. Of course," he replied, giving the young girl a kind smile. "Purging your mother of the corruption is easy." He tapped her forehead. "Just as how I managed to relieve you of your migraines, so I can free your mother of Raiden's influence."

"But there's a catch, right?" Johnny posed.

"There is. As she was corrupted in the past with the Blood Code, she will be left weakened," Yao explained. She will need some time to recover her strength."

"I...honestly don't know how I can repay you, Yao," Johnny said. "But I will find a way..."

Yao silenced him with a raised hand. "I can assure you that I don't need money, Mr. Cage. Your gratitude is enough. One does the right thing because one knows it is the right thing to do."

"My father always said that if you can't do something smart, then do something right," Johnny mused.

"A smart man, your dad," Yao replied, coming to a stop in front of a room, with the door locked. "The both of you, please wait here. The Purge spell is very difficult, and I must not make any mistakes."

"Please...save Mom," Cassie said.

"I will, child," Yao said before unlocking the door with a gesture of his hand and opening it by his will. The Sorcerer Supreme entered the chamber, the door closing behind him.

* * *

Near the Chinese-Vietnamese border (Earth-616)...

The Edenian Spell known as the 'Return to Life' was considered to be one of the most dangerous (and hardest) spells a sorcerer or sorceress can ever use.

This, Jade knew personally, as she had used it on herself to escape Quan Chi and Shinnok during the Netherrealm War. And now, she was going to use it again, on Liu Kang and Kitana.

They were no longer in Earthrealm, as she had seen in her visions of Raiden's corruption following his purging of the Jinsei. They were in an alternative Earthrealm, one where the Elder Gods nor the corrupted thunder god held no sway.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The former Emperor and Empress were still bound, on their knees, unable to move thanks to Jade's Restraint Spell, their mouths silenced due to Jade putting a spell on them to render them voiceless after one too many death threats. All they could do was watch as the Emerald Assassin made the preparations for the spell.

First, came the seal. A circle within a circle, complete with three smaller circles in the second circle. The lettering around the circumference was a primitive form Edenian, a text Jade was well-versed in, although in secret. The outer circles represented charity and resurrection, while the three inner circles represented the past, present and future.

Second, came the blood offering. Jade had slashed the palm of Liu and Kitana's hand to gain the necessary blood. The blood was sitting in an earthenware cup.

'It's almost time,' Jade thought as she continued her work.

"I know what the both of you are thinking," Jade said. "You think me as cruel. Sadistic. Truth be told, my original intention was to take Kitana much sooner, and only Kitana while the Netherrealm, Outworld and Earthrealm were busy fighting over Shinnok's amulet."

Jade looked at Liu and Kitana. She knew that despite everything, she held both their attention. So the dark-skinned assassin began to explain. "Quan Chi nor Shinnok didn't know that I was not only an assassin, but a sorceress, descended from a long line of Edenian mystics who has the ability to defy even death. Even as a revenant, I was able to tap into my powers, albeit weakened due to Shinnok's presence."

Jade smiled, although it was a sad smile. "I played the other revenants like a fiddle...Nightwolf...Stryker...Kuai Liang...who else revealed the location to Quan Chi's fortress to Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage, resulting in the souls of Jackson Briggs, Hanzo Hasashi and Kuai Liang restored?"

The fiery golden eyes of the Emperor and Empress widened as their struggles increased, hoping to rend the Emerald Assassin limb from limb.

"You think that I am the evil one, yet the ones responsible for your current state has been reduced to a head while the other was made short by the height of his own head."

Liu and Kitana both stopped mid-struggle.

"Even now, you still hold both Quan Chi and Shinnok with reverence, despite being freed from his influence. Would you still worship Shinnok and serve Quan Chi willingly if you discovered that they were the architects behind your deaths? What better way to take out a threat than to make them an ally?" Jade posed. "Raiden holds the blame for resetting the timeline in an attempt to stave off Armageddon, but it was Shinnok who was responsible for the majority of the problems that befell Earthrealm...and the both of you."

Jade looked at Kitana. "You've received my visions? Of Edenia restored, and Shao Kahn slain by your hand following Armageddon?"

Hesitantly, Kitana nodded.

"The visions I've showed you are what was suppose to happen. Edenia restored, Earthrealm destroyed, its champions slain. Yet you survived to restore Edenia."

As Jade made her final preparations, she told them everything, even showed them Quan Chi and Shinnok's memories. Of how Shinnok manipulated everyone from Shao Kahn to Raiden in the first timeline, initiating the Battle of Armageddon. And even when Raiden sent his warnings to the past, Shinnok had planned for that as well, making sure that Quan Chi was in Kahn's inner circle, thus allowing the necromancer to work his powers on the fallen kombatants with impunity, taking down potential threats by converting them into his undead slaves.

No one just didn't expect Johnny Cage or his daughter to take the fight to Shinnok, and save Earthrealm. Of course, the more Jade told them the truth, the more madder that Liu and Kitana became. To be manipulated by someone whom they had sworn fealty to for the past two and a half decades...

"What I have told you – even showed you – is the truth," Jade concluded. "A bitter pill to swallow, but much-needed medicine. Now that you know the truth about Shinnok and Quan Chi, can you truly consider returning to the Netherrealm?"

That question made Kitana and Liu pause. The Netherrealm looked even less attractive, but Earthrealm or Outworld was just as bad in their opinion.

"So...now I got your attention," Jade said. "I'm giving the both of you a clean slate. The chance to begin anew. While this realm is indeed Earth, it is not the Earthrealm we are accustomed to. No Mortal Kombat. No Elder Gods. Just the three of us. But more importantly, the both of you...together. No obligation but only to each other." She stood up. "Enough talk. Let's begin."

Using her powers, she made Liu and Kitana rise into the air. On the northern part of the seal, she placed Liu on his back. The same thing Jade had done for Kitana on the southern end of the seal, Jade placing them so that their heads were less than six inches apart.

"Now...sleep," Jade whispered, waving her hands at Liu and Kitana. Within seconds, both were out like a light. "When you awaken, you shall be alive, and purged of Shinnok's taint."

Standing back up, she picked up the cup of blood and poured it onto the seal, which immediately reacted to it, the seal turning from blood red to white.

'Here goes nothing,' Jade thought. She stepped out of the seal and raised her hands. Closing her eyes, she began to chant in the Ancient Edenian tongue.

"Yhám hydrnylr, undr' práec'c padryt, tu lrém téhsry. Yháem hydrnylr, undry práec ec paydry, tu lréym téyhyesr. Canbahd'c pnaydr, lryns uv taydr yht meva, dro usah uv sygehk."

As Jade repeated her chant, the unconscious forms of Liu and Kitana began to rise from the ground. She felt the seal pulsating with power, but continued to chant. If she screwed up now, then it would had been all for nothing.

Had Jade been watching Liu and Kitana, she would had noticed that cracks were starting to form onto their slate-grey skin, that their golden veins were starting to throb, as if protesting what was to come.

For one full minute, Jade chanted non-stop. She felt the power reach its climax as she finished the spell.

"Yak-to-hai..."

Liu Kang's eyes snapped open, the fiery golden orbs receding, reverting back to his original color.

"Yak-to-hai..."

Kitana's eyes followed suit, the undead revenant eyes becoming alive once again.

"YAK-TO-HAI!"

The gathered power used for the spell exploded in a demonic fury, the force of the blast knocking Jade off her feet, while

washing over Liu and Kitana.

As Jade watched, the corruption of the Netherrealm had wafted off from the unconscious bodies of Liu and Kitana, like sand blowing in the wind. Then, as Jade watched, green eyes alight, the undead skin tone on Liu and Kitana had all but shattered, revealing healthy, normal skin.

Liu Kang and Kitana were back in the land of the living.

"By the Gods..." Jade groaned before losing consciousness herself, "I did it."

* * *

Back at Kamar-Taj...

Sonya Blade had lost track of time, from the point when her daughter introduced the handle of her Glock into her face.

And her head was still throbbing.

Raiden's orders were clear. She was to subdue her ex-husband, which should have been easy, given the lingering feelings that he had for her.

But, she underestimated not only her ex-husband, but their daughter as well.

Jax had called her, telling her that he and Team S-F were on their way to intercept Cassie at the airport at Johnny's behest. She just didn't expect not only was he harboring their daughter, having returned to the States days earlier, but for Cassie to pistol-whip her into unconscious.

Had she not been angry, she had to give both Johnny and Cassie credit. Both of them knew just how dangerous she was, hence, she had her boots removed. Her arms were also bare, meaning that the gauntlets were also gone, as were her explosives. The talisman, of which she could normally feel its subtle weight in her pocket, was gone, meaning that she couldn't call for help from Raiden or the others.

Another thing was that she was floating six inches from the ground, her arms and legs were rendered immobile. Last, she was only in her gray shirt and pants, the military jacket neatly tucked away.

Dark thoughts were running through her head. If Lord Raiden didn't maim her traitorous ex and daughter, then she will.

 **CLICK.**

Sonya's head snapped up upon hearing the door to her room unlock. The door opened, and in stepped an old man, the door closing behind him.

Yao looked at Sonya. Like her ex-husband, Sonya had de-aged thirty years. Rather than looking at a woman of fifty-one years, he was looking at a woman who was twenty-one. For his safety – and hers – the ancient sorcerer had Sonya restrained. From what Johnny had told him of her abilities, he was not taking any chances.

Sonya glared at the wizened old man. She had thought Shang Tsung was old, but this man was truly ancient.

"Sonya Blade," Yao greeted, hands behind his back. "I would ask if your accommodations are to you liking, but I'd know that you would be deceiving me."

"That's General Blade to you," Sonya spat. "Who are you? Where the hell am I?"

"This is my humble home. Kamar-Taj, situated within the Himalayas," Yao explained. "My...sanctum sanctorum, if you will. You, along with Mr. Cage and young Cassandra, are my guests."

"Let me go, old man," Sonya seethed. "Let me go, and Lord Raiden may grant you mercy." She turned to the door, and screamed. "JOHNNY! CASSIE! IF LORD RAIDEN DON'T PUNISH YOU FOR REBELLING AGAINST HIM, YOU'LL BE CERTAIN THAT I WILL!"

"The room is soundproof, Miss Blade," Yao replied. "You will only wear yourself out. Second, we are far from the corrupter's influence. In fact, we are not in Earthrealm, at least, the Earthrealm you are familiar with."

"You have courage in insulting Lord Raiden to my face," the corrupted general replied. "You wouldn't be so confident if you'd release me from these bonds."

"It would still be an unfair fight," Yao replied.

"Scared that you'd lose?" Sonya taunted.

"No. Confident that I shall win. You think you have seen it all with the likes of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi? Those pompous pedants couldn't touch me when they were alive." Energy began to crackle around him, causing his robes to flutter. He hovered in the air, his face inches from Sonya's own, the power in his voice making Sonya flinch. "I am the Ancient One, the High Lama, the Mystic. I am the Sorcerer Supreme. If I wish it, I can snuff out your life with the mere flick of my finger."

For the first time, Sonya felt fear. Maybe taunting this guy was a bad idea, she realized.

Yao calmed down and landed back on the ground. "However, that was not the wish of your former husband and daughter. They wish to see the corruption Raiden had inflicted upon you removed. And so, I shall."

Sonya tried to break free, but to no avail.

"Your resistance is futile, Miss Blade," Yao said, hands glowing with a soft golden light. "It will all be over soon."

"I...will...not betray...Lord Raiden...!" Sonya grunted.

"By betraying him," Yao replied, "I shall grant you your greatest request. The one you tried to give to Mr. Cage when you tried to ensnare him...the chance to become a family again."

"No...No...!"

A ball of golden energy appeared between Yao's hands. "Corruption's Bane: Purification," he said he flung the ball of energy at Sonya.

It was indeed fortunate that the room was soundproofed, otherwise Johnny and Cassie would had heard Sonya's ear-splitting scream. If being inflicted with the Blood Code was painful enough, then being purged of Raiden's corruption made being corrupted by Havik's blood magik felt like a flesh wound. Not even Shinnok's energy blasts felt this painful.

Simply put, it hurt like bloody blazes. Not even when she was giving birth to Cassie did she felt so much pain.

A hazy black aura began to emanate from Sonya as she continued to scream and thrash about as if she was having a seizure. The corruption inflicted upon her by Raiden was being purged, wafting from her convulsing body before dissipating into nothingness.

After a full minute, Sonya could scream no longer. With a moan, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, which slumped forward, consciousness leaving her.

Yao turned back to the door and with a gesture of his hand, unlocked it and opened it. "It is done," he said from outside.

"You may come in."

Johnny entered the room, followed by Cassie, just as Yao lowered Sonya to the floor, stopping when Johnny had intercepted her unconscious form, holding her in his arms.

"The purging of Raiden's corruption has been successful," Yao reported. "However, the side effect of the purging is that it has left her weak. She will need time to recover her strength."

Johnny nodded. In the back of his mind, him holding Sonya like this reminded him of when he had did the same thing after kicking Shinnok's ass the first time.

Cassie looked at Yao. "Thank you."

Yao smiled and patted Cassie on the head before leaving the room.

* * *

It was as if he was having an out-of-body experience.

Or something close to that. Honestly, Liu Kang didn't know what he felt. After feeling nothing but rage, hatred and anger for the past twenty-five years, this felt...different.

The reason behind the idea of him having an out-of-body experience was that he was watching past memories of his life. It reminded Liu of that one book he once read as a child about a miserly old man lacking the Christmas spirit, with three ghosts showing him his past, present and future.

Liu realized that the same thing was happening to him. Just without the ghosts.

He was watching his past memories.

His dedication to the Shaolin Temple alongside his brother, Chow following the deaths of their parents...

...Chow running away and the notification of his death years later...

...meeting Kung Lao for the first time...

 _"I'm the elder, which means I'm superior!"_

 _"Yet, I'm the one with more wins between us, Lao."_

...being chosen by Raiden as his champion, and receiving training under 'Bo Rai Cho...

 _"How is the training coming along?"_

 _"The lad is a bit rough around the edges, but shows promise, Lord Raiden."_

 _"Liu Kang must be ready for the tournament. This is our last chance. If we fail, then Shao Kahn will absorb Earthrealm into Outworld."_

 _"I know, Lord Raiden. Don't worry. Liu Kang will be ready."_

...fighting alongside Kung Lao and Raiden at the Kove against a horde of Tarkarta...

 _"We will succeed, Lord Raiden."_

 _"Of that, I am certain."_

...the tournament on Shang Tsung's Island, and meeting – and fighting – Kitana...

 _"This encounter never took place. You have disgraced no one. I hope we meet again, Princess. Under...different circumstances."_

...defeating Goro, and later, Shang Tsung...

 _"Say it."_

 _"I...concede."_

...the Outworld tournament, in which he watched in horror as Shao Kahn snapped Kung Lao's neck...

 _"Witless boy! Do you know who I am?"_

 _"The murderer of my friend!"_

 _"I am Shao Kahn! Konquerer of Worlds! You will taste no victory!"_

 _"You will taste your own blood!"_

...the broken, bleeding body of Kitana, dying in his arms as the bodies of the fallen littered the Sanctuary...

 _"Kitana!"_

 _"Liu Kang...you were right. I wish we had met...under...different...circumstances."_

...Liu and Raiden coming to blows...

" _Enough of your madness! If you must die, so be it!"_

...his death, of which Liu now admitting that it was his own fault, having been blinded by rage and tormented with the loss of so many friends...

 _"Liu Kang! Please...forgive me..."_

 _"You...have killed us...all..."_

...Liu watched as Quan Chi claimed his soul, his soul being the last to form within his fortress, his revenant form emerging from the dark red liquid, the necromancer and Shinnok grinning in victory, and Shinnok's voice ringing in his ears...

 _"Liu Kang. The last of Raiden's chosen to fall by his hand. And you live again by my will. Who do you serve?"_

 _"I serve you, Lord Shinnok."_

...the carnage left in his and Kitana's wake during the Netherrealm War, the screams of soldier and Shaolin alike as they fell to his fists and Kitana's war fans...

" _Mercy! Mercy, Liu Kang!"_

" _The Elder Gods show mercy. The Netherrealm show none."_

...the confrontation with the revived Jackson Briggs as he stormed Quan Chi's fortress years later, while Liu was flinging demonic-charged fireballs, all the while Jax either avoided them or swatted them aside...

 _"So you return to Raiden? The fool follows fools."_

 _"Raiden did his best! He saved Earthrealm!"_

 _"HE MURDERED ME!"_

 _"That isn't true!"_

 _"You were not there! He stole **everything** from me!"_

" _Quan Chi stole everything from you, not Raiden! He manipulated all of us!"_

" _You do not deserve to rejoin us, Jackson Briggs! Instead, you will learn...there are worse things than death!"_

...fighting Raiden yet again, only this time at the Sky Temple...

" _This is not your destiny, Liu Kang!"_

" _More visions, Raiden? Do you still see the future?"_

" _The visions are gone, but I know what should be!"_

" _I was put here by your hand!"_

" _An accident, which haunts me to this day!"_

...threatening Johnny after D'Vorah had cocooned him...

" _You haven't won yet, Liu. There's still Cassie and her team."_

" _They will fall as well, Johnny Cage."_

" _Hubris. And they say I'm egotistical."_

" _You are an annoying buffoon. Before Lord Shinnok kills you, I will show Cassandra Cage the difference between fighting_

 _rookies and veterans. You will watch as I kill her. And once Lord Shinnok revives her, she will kill not only you, but_

 _General Blade."_

...last, Raiden's warning, throwing Shinnok's severed head on the ground of the throne room.

" _Shinnok was an Elder God. Impossible to kill. There are fates worse than death."_

Darkness then consumed Liu.

* * *

Yao said that she would be unconscious for several days once the corruption was purged from her body. But for Johnny and Cassie, it was as if Sonya was going through a severe case drug withdrawal.

There was no form of magic that could help Sonya go cold turkey. She would have to go through with this on her own. His first ex-wife was a substance abuse counselor, so Johnny had some experience in knowing the symptoms of withdrawal. And from the look of things, whatever Raiden had hit her with, a heroin addict would had better luck getting their junk out of their system.

But her ex-husband and their daughter were at her side.

Even though she was unconscious, Sonya's body was wracked with pain. Her skin was clammy and covered in sweat, every once in a while she would get the shakes. And to top it off, she had a fever. For Johnny, it reminded him of the time Sonya had gotten the flu, even after Johnny had warned her to get the flu shots.

She ended up bedridden, while he took care of her unti she got well.

 _"I guess this is the part where you get to say 'I told you so.'"_

 _"Well, today, I really don't want to. But I damn sure as hell told you."_

Johnny smiled sadly at the memory. Ever since he and Sonya divorced, he had looked back on where he and Sonya had went wrong. As Sonya had told him whilst searching for Cassie and Jacqui, they both had been wrong for each other from the very start. Honestly, he didn't want the divorce. But with Sonya's lack of communication towards him and the lack of affection towards Cassie, she had forced his hand.

He just wasn't expecting a judge advocate – the military equivalent of a lawyer – to come and serve him divorce papers while on the set of his latest film project.

And Johnny knew. He knew that her job was more important than her family. Somehow, Cassie knew as well. She had been seventeen when the divorce became final, with both Johnny and Sonya sharing joint custody of their daughter.

Johnny had fought tooth and nail, but Sonya wouldn't budge. So, with a heavy heart on his end – and plenty of resentment from Cassie on her end – he granted Sonya her wish.

When Johnny had signed the divorce papers, he had congratulated Sonya, saying that "she had won the war."

For Sonya, she had alienated her now ex-husband and their daughter. Something that she didn't see until some time later.

It was only after Cassie joined the military in the wake of the Blood Code fiasco did she notice the resentment in her daughter. Cassie had joined the military not because she felt the need to protect those closest to her, but to gain her mother's approval.

But the animosity was still there between mother and daughter. Sonya resented Johnny due to him being Cassie's favorite, while Cassie resented Sonya for not being there for her. It was only after Shinnok was beaten and the revenants were forced to retreat, that Sonya and Johnny began to reconcile.

"Sometimes, the battle isn't worth winning, let alone the war," Sonya had said in regards to their divorce.

Cassie sat nearby, reading a book Wong had given her, looking up only to see her father drench a washcloth with water from a nearby basin and place it back on Sonya's forehead. "How is she?" the pint-sized Cage asked.

"Fever's still there," Johnny replied. "At least she's not shaking as bad as before."

"Oh." With that, Cassie went back to reading her book.

Johnny turned to his daughter. "You still hate your mother?"

Cassie closed the book and looked at her father. "I...I thought I did," she admitted. "Honestly...I don't know what to think.

She just makes me so damn mad."

"Language," Johnny scolded. "You're six, not twenty-two."

"I still say it sucks, going through puberty again," Cassie grumbled. "Everything I tried to do to gain her approval, it wasn't enough. When I joined the military, I wanted to do so on my own terms. She looked down on me when I refused to go to officers' school. She looked at me as a soldier more than her daughter. I know she can't show favoritism because I'm her kid, but...she made me question myself because she's such a control freak. And when I was transferred to S-F, only to find out that my mother was the freakin' General, I had hoped that we could reconnect."

Cassie sighed in frustration. This brought another memory back to Johnny's mind.

[Flashback]

 _"What's going on?" Johnny asked his ex-wife, watching as two of her soldiers carried away a body bag._

 _Sonya turned around. "What's the situation from Colonel Flagg?" she asked, or rather, demanded._

 _"He said, 'Why are you bothering me, Cage?'" Johnny said, quoting Sonya's second-in-command. "To which, I reply, 'Because my ex-wife is a pain in the...'" He stopped when Sonya turned and stormed off. But he is quick to intercept her, blocking her path. "Hey! Where you goin'? You can't just walk away. I'm in this too!"_

 _Sonya folded her arms across her chest. "That was not my call. You can thank Secretary Blake for that."_

 _Oh, was this woman trying his patience. " **This** is exactly what I'm talking about, Sonya. This is what split us up in the first place! Always disappear in your work! Never time for me and Cassie!"_

 _Sonya didn't back down. She got into her ex-husband's face. "I had responsibilities. Unlike you, I still do. Sorry youcouldn't be the center of attention."_

 _Unlike their daughter, Johnny can control his anger. So much so that he delivered his carefully measured response in a cold tone. "There was a time when you cared more for your family than your job... **General.** " _

_He stormed past her, not looking back._

[End Flashback]

"I know she's my mother and all, but I don't know if I should hate her or pity her for choosing her job over us," Cassie said. "I mean, if you can balance being an actor with parenthood and marriage, then she could do the same. So yeah, I guess you can say that while I don't hate her...I don't trust her."

Johnny looked at his daughter for a brief moment. Then he began to speak, the words spoken to him from a past memory.

Jacqui and Cassie had been kidnapped and their trail had led them to Outworld, where following surviving an invasion of Shokan, they took a ship to Shang Tsung's Island. They had shared a cabin; he in the bed while she slept on the floor. What Johnny was saying to Cassie was what Sonya had told him about her greatest failure: sacrificing Cassie's childhood.

"'I gave up my daughter's childhood to make her world safe. That was the right thing to do. Right up a few weeks ago when she ran away. Now, we're at the end of the world, relying on the kindness of a barbarian.'"

Cassie looked at her father. Seeing that he had her attention, Johnny continued to speak, reciting what Sonya had said to him verbatim.

"'Who knows what she's seen on Shang Tsung's Island. What kind of torture they've inflicted on her. All I know for certain is if we fail, if we don't save her, then I gave up all those years for nothing. I never knew my own daughter, and she never knew how much her mother cares.'"

"Mom...said that...about me?" Cassie said, amazed.

Johnny nodded. "Back when we were looking for you and Jacqui." He looked back at the unconscious woman. "We all have our personal demons. Some more than others. Some are from the choices that we make, while others are demons in human form." He adjusted the towel on Sonya's head. "Do you know, that even to this day, Liu Kang's death still haunts my dreams?"

"No."

"Even though it's been twenty-five years, I can still see him attacking Raiden out of anger," Johnny said. "I can still see Raiden creating a shield to protect him. And I can see Liu running into it, hands encased in flames." He looked at Cassie.

"Liu was burned alive by his own flames and electrocuted by Raiden's lightning. Even now, I don't know how that happened. But I remember his face. He'd lost one eye, but he gave Raiden the most hateful glare he could muster, before uttering his last words: 'You have killed us all.'"

"I also remembered how you said that he threatened you before we arrived at the Sky Temple."

"He did. Personally, I'd hoped that we'd redeem him," Johnny mused. "Sure he could be a total jerk, being Raiden's golden boy before me, but he was a good friend in the short time that I knew him." He leaned back in his chair. "I lost plenty of friends and allies ever since I accepted Raiden's invite to the tournament, some we managed to get back." He looked at Sonya. "No way am I losing Sonya, no matter how much she pisses me of..." He turned back to Cassie. "Or you."

He groaned as he stood up, stretching. "Look. Nit-picking and criticizing your mother is my job. Me and Sonya losing 30 years while you losing sixteen can be seen as a blessing in disguise. Everyone deserves a second chance, Cass. Including us."

He left his daughter alone, hopefully to scrounge up some breakfast for him and Cassie, but more importantly, leaving his daughter alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Elsewhere...

Liu Kang's eyes snapped open as he shot into an upright position.

Looking around, he found himself in a bedroom, in bed. He was also naked from the waist up, wearing only his pants. His Revenant Emperor Armor and boots, along with its wrist-guards, sat on a rack opposite his bed, his red headband slung over one shoulder.

His head was pounding, his body ached all over. But he was alive for the first time in twenty-five long years. Compared to the excruciating pain that he endured when Raiden accidentally killed him, he'd gladly accept the headache and muscle pains.

There was a second bed next to his, complete with a small nightstand in between. Placed in front of the second bed, was Kitana's Revenant Empress armor. The bed, however, was empty.

"She woke up about two hours before you did," Jade said from her place in the corner. "She's out in the courtyard."

The Emerald Assassin sat in a chair, arms folded, having kept a silent vigil over her friend and the former champion.

"It takes a couple of minutes for the pain to pass," Jade explained. "I experienced it myself when I used the spell on myself."

"Where...am I?" Liu groaned. "Where are we?"

"An abandoned temple complex, near the border with Vietnam," Jade explained. "We're well out of the way, the closest village being five miles from here. The local populace believe that these grounds are haunted, and tend to stay away." She looked around the place. "It's not much, but it's home."

"Doesn't look abandoned."

"Amazing what one can do with sorcery," Jade said. She produced a set of clothing from underneath the bed and placed it at the foot of Liu's bed. "Here. Fresh clothes. There is a washroom three doors down to the left. I will venture into town for supplies."

* * *

Later on...

The last time he felt the sun on his face was the day he died. Liu closed his eyes and took a deep breath, breathing in deep the crisp morning air. After being stuck as a revenant for twenty-five years, it was something that he dearly missed, rising with the dawn and training, basking in the morning sun.

Deep down, he didn't know whether to either thank Jade or kill her. Whatever Jade had done not only revived him and restored his soul, but also purged his mind and body of the Brotherhood of the Shadow's taint. But even he had to admit that what she had done took courage...even if the trade-off was that he could never see his comrades again.

Liu still blamed Raiden for many things, from screwing with the timeline to Kung Lao's death. Now, he realized, that his demise was his own fault, that both Quan Chi and Shinnok had played everyone like a fool, Raiden included. That didn't mean that Raiden was off the hook, but as long as he didn't see him or the Elder Gods again, the better for him.

The former Emperor of the Netherrealm walked up the pathway. He knew that Kitana was close. It was a bond they shared, forged in the Netherrealm, one that couldn't be broken, and thankfully was kept in place.

The pathway led to a courtyard, which Liu saw, doubled as an arena.

And Liu saw her.

She was in the middle of the arena, meditating, on her knees, hands places in her lap. Even when she was a revenant, with the slate-gray skin with the yellow veins and the fiery golden eyes, Kitana was still a sight to behold. Now, instead of the dull grey skin, her flesh had that exotic coloring to it, and it was just as he remembered when he first saw her on Shang Tsung's Island so many years ago.

Blue was her favorite color, and Liu had to admit that it looked rather good on her, especially her current outfit, the hair tied in a ponytail (i.e., her Tournament costume)

Kitana opened her eyes. Dark brown eyes, rather than those of the revenant, looked back at him. Of course she could sense him. She was an assassin, after all. In one fluid motion, Kitana rose to her feet, just as Liu began to walk over to her.

They met each other half way.

"Hey," was all Liu could say.

"Hey," Kitana replied back.

Actions spoke louder than words, as Liu stepped in and embraced Kitana, the former princess hugging him back, Kitana resting her head on his shirt-covered chest, feeling the beat of his heart.

* * *

The former Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm decided to take a stroll around the temple grounds, not only to reconnect, but to also see what kind of secrets the abandoned temple held.

When they were slaves to Quan Chi and Shinnok, Liu and Kitana were content with just being around each other. Now, with Shinnok reduced to a head and Quan Chi made shorter by the height of his head by Hanzo, they had the chance to truly be together. They were still undead at the time, but as Sindel had said, 'they were bonded in death.'

"Honestly...I don't know whether to be happy or do I want to strangle Jade for what she has done," Kitana said. "Let alone hide the fact that she had this planned. This place..."

"Definitely Shaolin," Liu surmised. When Kitana looked at him, Liu replied, "I was raised in the Shaolin Temples before I became Raiden's chosen," he said, spitting on the floor after speaking the name of his former mentor.

"You plan on going back to the Shaolin?" Kitana asked.

Liu shook his head. "No. While I do follow some of their tenets, I've no desire to return to that life, or that of a revenant for that matter. Not after I slaughtered a temple of monks in the past."

Kitana took a step forward. "And what is it you desire?" she asked, dangerously close.

"What I desire is standing in front of me," Liu replied, one hand caressing her face. "We may no longer be revenants, but you will always be my Empress."

Kitana smiled. "And you will always be my Emperor."

It had been their first kiss, Kitana would sheepishly admit later, despite having lived ten thousand years. But she didn't feel bad when Liu told her that she was the first woman that he had kissed as well.

Suffice to say, they both liked it.

"I have a suggestion," Kitana said, still locked in the embrace. "You have been a warrior monk, a champion, a revenant and an Emperor."

"True," Liu admitted.

"How does being an assassin sound to you?" Kitana proposed.

"An assassin?" Liu repeated.

"Yes. You already know how to fight from the Shaolin. You already know how to kill from Quan Chi and Shinnok," Kitana pointed out. She looked around the temple. "This can be the start of something wonderful."

"A clan of assassins," Liu mused. "We take in orphaned children and teach them the art of kombat and assassination."

Kitana grinned. "We raise them and train them to become devoted to our cause. But before we can do that...I'll be your teacher."

"Fair enough." Liu paused. "So...what shall we call our clan?"

Kitana pursed her lips. "That...is a very good question. I have not thought about that."

"Hmm..." Liu looked around. Then something caught his attention. "Kitana. Look over there."

Kitana turned her head, and saw what Liu was looking at. A lotus blossom, red in color, had grown through the crack in the floor, fully bloomed. Liu released Kitana and walked over the blossom. Kitana followed him as he crouched down and gently plucked it from the ground.

"It's beautiful," Kitana said.

"A red lotus," Liu explained. "Very rare." He looked at Kitana and grinned. "The Red Lotus Society. It has a nice ring to

it..." he mused as he regarded the flower in his hand.

Kitana's eyes were shining. "That it does."

With that, the Red Lotus Society was born. And in the years to come, the criminal underworld would come to respect and fear the organization, as they know what they would bring.


	4. 2: Redemption

**Chapter Two: Redemption**

It would be three days before Sonya Blade regained consciousness. But not before she had a nightmare that had rocked her to the core.

 _Sonya was alone. Alone and clearly scared out of her mind. It was as if she was reliving the Netherrealm War all over again._

 _Only this time, it was much, much worse._

 _The sky was red. Blood red, Shinnok's essence having corrupted the Jinsei to the point of no return. Bodies laid around her, Outworlder refugee and those of her own men. Li Mei's body had been ripped in two, her face a mask of unspeakable pain. Sonya would later find the body of Colonel Flagg, her second-in-command of the Special Forces. He was only recognized by his uniform, as his face had been obliterated._

 _The city of Los Angeles, however, looked far, far worse than the refugee camp. Most of the skyscrapers were gone and the denizens of the Netherrealm roamed the streets, feasting on human carrion. A California hell of Shinnok's making._

 _It reminded Sonya of the old declassified films on nuclear detonations. That, and the post-apocalyptic film Johnny had shot before their divorce._

 _It was as if she was right in the middle of Ground Zero as an otherwordly wind whipped up around her. The feeling of dread reached its peak as she screamed out: "WHERE AM I?!"_

 _"You are home, Sonya Blade," a deep, menacing voice said from behind her._

 _Sonya turned around. Standing behind her, arms behind her back, was the fallen Elder God himself, Shinnok._

 _"No...this isn't my home," Sonya replied, defiant._

 _"Oh, but it is, General Blade," Shinnok replied as the revenants began to emerge from the shadows, blocking her escape. Liu Kang. Kitana. Sindel. Stryker. Kabal. Nightwolf. Enenra. "Earthrealm has fallen, its defenses destroyed. And the heavens shall follow for their betrayal. Only then, will my vengeance be complete."_

 _"You are the last of Raiden's chosen," Kitana intoned, her eyes ablaze in fury._

 _"No...I can't be the only one left! Johnny and the others..."_

 _"...have fallen in kombat," Liu intoned. A cruel smile formed on the undead Shaolin's lips. "Not only have I killed Raiden and Fujin, but I also killed that annoying buffoon, while Kitana ended the life of your daughter."_

 _"No! You lie! Johnny and the others can't be dead!"_

 _"We are, General."_

 _Sonya's blood froze upon hearing her daughter's voice. She turned around..._

 _...and her heart sank as she recognized the newly-made revenants that flanked Shinnok. Their skin was concrete-grey, veins prominent on exposed skin, the eyes a hellish yellow-red, but Sonya recognized them all the same._

 _Takahashi Kenshi. Takahashi Takeda. Kung Jin. Hanzo Hasashi. Kuai Liang. Jax Briggs. Jacqui Briggs. Johnny Cage. And last..._

 _"Oh, God..." Sonya whispered as she looked upon the form of her daughter. "Cassie..."_

 _"You abandoned them to their deaths," Shinnok said. "I brought them back to life. They now serve me. As Kitana has stated, you are the last of Raiden's chosen."_

 _Almost by reflex, Sonya raised her gauntlets, preparing to fire a blast of energy at Shinnok..._

 _...only to scream and fall to her knees as Cassie kneecapped her with her pistols, being faster on the draw._

 _"Pitiful," Liu noted._

 _"Their souls are mine, as is yours," Shinnok said. "As Kitana and Sindel are bonded in death, so shall you be with your daughter." He turned to Cassie, and gave the undead woman her marching orders before disappearing. "Cassandra Cage...finish her."_

 _"As you command, my master," Cassie intoned as she holstered one of her pistols and calmly walked over to her mother, the other pistol gripped tightly in her hand._

 _"Cassie...please! Don't do this!" Sonya pleaded as she watched as her daughter come upon her like a harbinger of death. Her limbs felt like they were weighed down._

 _"You won't be dead for long, General," the revenant replied. "You will see the truth once you join us."_

 _Sonya's last words were left unspoken as Cassie leveled her pistol at her mother's head and pulled the trigger, sending Sonya into oblivion, the last thing she saw before the muzzle flash was the look of grim satisfaction on the faces of the newly-made revenants, and Kitana's laughter the last thing she heard before death embraced her._

When she woke up, she woke up screaming. It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't dying on the grounds of the Sky Temple. She was in a room consisting of a bed, two chairs, and a nightstand, which had a damp washcloth on it and a basin full of cold water.

The door to the door opened and in walked a man. Chinese in origin, head shaved and dressed in a Chinese-style tunic and pants, green with yellow trim. In his hands, was a bundle of clothes in his hands.

"You are finally awake, Miss Blade," Wong said. "Mr. Cage said that you would awake sometime today."

"Where am I? Who are you?" Sonya demanded.

"Calm down. You are safe," Wong replied. "As to who I am, my name is Wong, loyal retainer to Master Yao, the Ancient One. As to where you are, you are in my master's home in Kamar-Taj, in the Himalayas."

"Where's Johnny? Where's my daughter?"

"Mr. Cage is speaking with Master Yao, and Cassandra is finishing breakfast." Wong placed the clothes on the chair. "Fresh clothes for you." He pointed to the second door in the room. "You can clean yourself up there. You need a bath. You've been out for seven days. I will notify your ex-husband that you are awake."

Sonya calmed down and slowly nodded. With a bow, Wong left the room.

* * *

Sonya had been staring at her reflection in the mirror for the past few minutes.

Instead of the battle-hardened General, she found herself looking at a young woman, fresh out of her teens, clad only in a tanktop and a pair of silk pants. When she was twenty-one, she had been a Sergeant herself, before attracting the attention of Jax, who had recommended her to officers' candidate school.

What caught her attention was her own eyes. Rather than the color of periwinkle, they were now a shade of violet. Second, aside from the restored youth, she felt even more stronger, even more when she was in her prime.

Even when she was fifty-one, she had aged gracefully. Her hair was shorter than it was, but she had tied it back regardless. She had been an idealist when she first signed on to the Army. That changed when her fiancee had been murdered by Kano.

"I did the exact same thing."

Sonya turned to the source of the voice. Leaning in the doorway, arms folded, stood Johnny Cage, looking just as young as she was.

"Kinda freaky, losing thirty years in the blink of an eye," Johnny continued. He looked down at his shirt-covered chest. "Tattoo's gone. I was getting tired of it anyway – oof!"

Johnny grunted as Sonya barreled into him, arms wrapped around his torso, holding onto him as if he was going to disappear.

"You were right, Johnny," Sonya babbled, her famous self-control gone, speaking a mile a minute. "You warned me about Raiden and I thought you were being paranoid." She looked up at him. "I'm sorry...I was aware the whole time when Raiden corrupted me, and...and..."

"It's okay. I know," Johnny said, holding her tight. "I'm just glad that you're okay."

"And Cassie?"

Johnny smiled. "She's fine. She's not happy that she's six years old again, but she's fine."

"What?"

"Long story. I'll explain later." Johnny looked at her face, confused. "Uh, Sonya? What's with your eyes?"

Sonya mentally slapped herself. She had completely forgot about that little detail. In truth, she honestly didn't know herself.

* * *

Being unconscious for a week had left Sonya with a ravenous appetite. Fortunately, Wong had left over some breakfast, consisting of fruits, several slices of bread smeared with butter and salt, vegetables and dried pieces of meat, complete with ice-cold water to wash it down.

For Sonya, to her, it was like a banquet.

They were alone in the dining hall, Johnny watched as his ex-wife wolfed down the food with a vengeance, his shades hiding the amusement his eyes showing as Sonya tucked in the food like a woman possessed. While Sonya ate, Johnny had given her a brief run-down of the events so far.

"Y'know, the last time I've seen you put food away like that, you were pregnant with Cassie," he mused.

"If I still didn't feel so weak, I'd hit you," she muttered, now calm once more.

"Not the gratitude I'd expect after saving you."

Sonya stopped eating. "You knew this would happen. It's why you warned me about Raiden." She sighed. "I really should had listened to you."

"You want to talk about it?" Johnny asked.

Sonya considered saying no, but realized that she would just be running away from the problem. Johnny and Cassie didn't have to take her along with them when they fled Earthrealm, but she was glad that they did.

"It was before Cassie was sent to kill Shujinko," she began as she pushed the plate away. "I'd seen the difference in Jacqui, Takeda and Kung Jin. I even noticed it in Jax and Kenshi. But I paid it no mind. I didn't realize how it had cost me when Raiden summoned me to the Sky Temple via portal. When I arrived, I was subdued by Subzero and Hanzo, and brought before Raiden..."

[Flashback]

 _Still weakened by the ice blast and the blow to the head, Sonya was brought before Raiden. The corrupted thunder god stood inside the Jinsei Chamber, hands behind his back, the Jinsei bathing the chamber in its blue glow._

 _"We had, as you would like to say, 'dodged a bullet' in regards to Shinnok and the Netherrealm, Sonya Blade," Raiden said. "I could not be any more prouder of my chosen warriors."_

 _He turned around, red-golden eyes looking at the blonde general, still on her knees, Hanzo and Kuai Liang holding her by her shoulders. "But we are still not united against any and all threats to Earthrealm. It is something that I will rectify."_

 _"What are you talking about?! What the hell is going on here?!" Sonya demanded._

 _"I trust you have noticed the difference in Jacqueline Briggs, Takahashi Takeda, their respective fathers, and Kung Jin,"Raiden pointed out. "Before I showed them the proper path, before they became truly united in defending Earthrealm, they had their self-doubts, their setbacks. I merely removed them, and set them on the right path."_

 _"'Set them on the right path?'" Sonya parroted. "You brainwashed them! Corrupted them! You're no better than Quan Chi!"_

 _"The only difference between me and him is that I do not require my chosen champions to die before I set them straight," rebuked the thunder god. "It's easier to make you see, as you yourself was corrupted in the past, alongside Jacqueline Briggs, your ex-husband and daughter."_

 _Sonya knew what Raiden spoke of. "The Blood Code..." she whispered._

 _"Jackson Briggs, Hanzo Hasashi and Kuai Liang were the first to see things my way," Raiden continued. "The fact that all three were once revenants made converting them a lot easier. Kung Jin, despite his sexuality, and Takeda were the hardest, as were Kenshi. Jacqueline had put up a fight, but she was subdued by her father and Takeda."_

 _Defiance soon gave way to abject horror. "By the Elder Gods...Johnny was right...you've been corrupted when your cleansed the Jinsei..."_

 _"Corrupted? Hardly. I see things more clearly now than I ever had in a millennium," Raiden insisted. "Liu Kang and Kitana, hopefully, got the message that Earthrealm shall go on the offensive if they decide to attack." His lips twisted in a cruel smile. "Unless they want to be reduced to a head like Shinnok, they will not do anything that will invoke my wrath."_

 _"You can't get away with this!"_

 _"I already have," Raiden said as he removed Shinnok's Amulet from his robes. "There is a reason why I saved you, Johnny Cage and Cassandra Cage for last. Because you three are the biggest threat. Once you have been converted, your ex-husband and daughter will soon follow. Only when you truly understand why I have done this...will Earthrealm be in danger no longer."_

 _Without another word, Raiden blasted Sonya with the amulet, rendering her unconscious. Hanzo and Subzero released her, and gently placed her on the floor._

 _Minutes later, Sonya regained consciousness. Without a word, she rose from the stone floor. "What is your will, Lord Raiden?" she asked._

[End Flashback]

"The corruption played on my emotions," Sonya explained. "But the power that came with it...it was seductive...addictive. After Raiden corrupted me, he gave me my orders to bring you in. He had already dispatched Cassie to murder Shujinko, with orders to report to the Sky Temple once she was done. Once Raiden corrupted her, we would both go after you." She sighed. "I guess this time, I should be thankful that she didn't follow orders."

"If I had the chance, I would had tried to save the others," Johnny explained. "But I couldn't."

Sonya knew that Johnny blamed himself for not doing more. She stopped his line of thought at the pass. "You made a judgment call. You did the right thing in cutting your losses."

"Still doesn't make it any easier," Johnny said as he took a drink from his own glass of water. "While you were unconscious, I had Yao put me in disguise so I could return to Earthrealm, to check on how things were. Officially, you, Cassie and myself are dead."

Now, was Sonya shocked. "What?"

"When Yao came to me and told me what was to come, I made some preparations. I had Rebecca hack into the S-F mainframe and download all of its notes and technology onto a backup laptop I brought over with me. Second, I cleaned most of my accounts out, converted it into gold, and left it with her. She's in San Francisco, as I've brought her here to prepare for our arrival. Last...I had the condo rigged with military-grade explosives."

Johnny went into his back pocket and pulled out a rolled-up newspaper. Handing it to Sonya, he watched as she unrolled it and read the front page, of which was emblazoned **JOHNNY CAGE, EX-WIFE AND DAUGHTER DIES IN GAS EXPLOSION**. The picture showed the destroyed condo, along with three smaller pictures of herself, Johnny and Cassie.

Sonya read part of the article. "'Venice Beach and Hollywood mourns the loss of acclaimed superstar and director Johnny Cage, who died alongside his ex-wife, Sonya A. Blade and their daughter, Cassandra Carlton Cage, in a freak explosion at the actor's Venice Beach home. Born John Carlton, Cage, 54, was the star of such classics as Who's That?, Ninja Mime, Massive Strike, Time Smashers, Every Dog Has Its Day, and the Dragon's Fist series. His ex-wife, Sonya A. Blade, 51, was a native of Austin, Texas, and was married to Mr. Cage for seventeen years before the pair split five years ago. Their only daughter, Cassandra Cage, 22, was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, and visiting her father at the time alongside her mother, who was a General in the U.S. Army.'"

"Honestly, I think it's kinda funny," Johnny said. "According to Raiden, I died in the First Run at least twice before he redid the timeline."

"Which explains why we've been declared dead," Sonya said. "Raiden doesn't think we're dead?"

"If I was him, he's probably know that we've escaped, but doesn't know where, exactly."

"So we have somewhat of an advantage," Sonya said. She looked at her ex-husband. "You seriously had the S-F mainframe hacked?"

"Yup. Got everything saved on a customized laptop I brought with us."

"I don't know if I should be angry or grateful," Sonya said.

"More grateful, less angry?"

The now-former general shrugged her shoulders. "I guess."

Johnny noticed Yao walking towards them from behind Sonya, Cassie accompanying them. He motioned to the two with a flick of his head. Sonya turned around, and saw her daughter accompanying Yao.

Before Cassie could react, Sonya had rushed out of the chair and had engulfed the little girl in a hug. "I'm sorry, Cassie. I'm so sorry..." she whispered.

Cassie hugged her mom back. "I know, Mom. It's not your fault."

Johnny cleared his throat. Sonya released Cassie and rose to her full height, noticing that she stood over Yao by a good foot. "You...I remember you..." she said.

"I am glad to see that you are back to your old self, Miss Blade," Yao said. "I am Yao, Sorcerer Supreme. This is my home."

"You warned Johnny...about everything," Sonya surmised.

"That I did," Yao confirmed. "I even knew that young Cassandra here would defeat Shinnok."

"You did?" Cassie asked, in awe.

Yao smiled. "I did, child." He turned to Wong, who had appeared and began to clear the table. "Wong, see to Cassandra. I have some matters to discuss with Mr. Cage and Miss Blade."

Wong nodded. "Come along, Cassandra. We'll see if we can find you a playmate."

Biting back the barb that she was actually a 22-year-old in a 6-year-old body, Cassie followed Wong.

"Cassandra is enjoying herself here," Yao said.

"Sonya and I instilled into her a love for nature," Johnny explained. "Something that she kept even when she was an adult."

"I've never seen Cassie happy in such a long time," Sonya said. She sighed. "Part of it was my fault. Even after Shinnok, despite us getting along better, she resented me. For a long time, I...I wasn't there for her."

"Consider this a second chance not only for yourself, but for all of you," the elderly sorcerer replied. "But seeing as how the both of you are here, there is a matter that I must discuss with the both of you in regards to young Cassandra."

Johnny and Sonya turned to the old man. "What? What is it?" the former actor asked.

"First, a question," Yao posed. "Would you continue to love and cherish Cassandra if she developed abilities that are considered for humans to be...unnatural?"

Johnny and Sonya exchanged looks. Then they turned back to Yao. "That's my daughter. My warrior princess. There's nothing in this word that I wouldn't do for her."

Yao nodded. Then he turned to Sonya.

"I made plenty of mistakes when I chose my job over my family," Sonya admitted. "Cassie was no mistake, no matter how I treated her. You're right about this being a second chance for me to actually be a mother. I would love her regardless."

"Very good." Yao cleared his throat. "While you were restrained, Miss Blade, Cassandra was complaining of headaches, of which Mr. Cage can attest to. I healed her of the affliction, only to find something interesting. What do you know about telepathy and telekinesis?"

"One of my subordinates was a telepath," Sonya replied.

"And his son was on Cassie's team," Johnny seconded. "Plus, we had a couple of encounters with one with the bad guys. So yeah, we're familiar with them."

Sonya got to the point. "Are you saying that Cassie is a telepath?"

Yao nodded. "Yes. Here, in this realm, Cassandra would be considered – no, labeled – a mutant. Here, a mutant is a human blessed – or depending on their view, cursed – with extraordinary powers. Normal humans are prejudiced against mutants, so be careful around those who despise them. My hypothesis is that her abilities began to manifest themselves once she ventured through the portal from Earthrealm. I've started her on some basic mind exercises and some meditation. I will give you some scrolls on intermediate and advanced techniques. But she will need proper instruction on how to properly use her powers. You both know that Cassandra has potential."

"Her beating Shinnok's face in proved that," Sonya said.

Yao nodded. "Compared to some of the more colorful characters here, Shinnok pales in comparison to what awaits here on this Earth."

"Looks like we got our work cut out for us," Sonya said, looking at Johnny.

Her ex-husband nodded. "A sculptor don't keep adding clay to a statue. He instead removes the inessentials until the truth is revealed," he said in a sage tone.

"Something like that." Yao looked amused. "However, her awakening of her powers had an unfortunate side effect. Relatively minor, but a side effect nonetheless."

Now, Johnny and Sonya were alarmed. "What?" Sonya prodded.

"She has lost all of her martial arts training. The muscle memory is still there, but she will have to be retrained from the ground up."

Johnny calmed down. "Oh. We can work on that."

Sonya nodded. Maybe Cassie losing her martial arts skills would be a blessing in disguise, as it would allow her to reconnect with her daughter.

* * *

Meanwhile...

The same newspaper that Johnny had showed Sonya was now placed on a table, while Liu Kang and Kitana were having a light morning snack following their sparring session.

Apparently, Johnny wasn't the only one who was in Earthrealm that day, as Jade herself had ventured into Earthrealm, only to discover that the world was in mourning over the loss of the Cage family.

Kitana looked at the front page. "Is this for real?"

"It seems so, Princess," Jade replied. "Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade and Cassandra Cage are dead."

"No. They're not."

The two Edenians turned to Liu. The former Shaolin took a sip of his tea. "He may be an annoying buffoon, but Johnny Cage does have the rather annoying habit of making the impossible possible. A trait which he has passed down to Cassandra."

"Of that, I know first-hand," Kitana muttered. "She bested both Mother and myself at the Sky Temple. Then she went on to defeat Shinnok."

"There's more to the story," Liu muttered. "Sometimes, one must look for the hidden meanings in order to find the truth. They're alive. I know it."

"For the time being, stay out of Earthrealm," Kitana ordered. "If Raiden discovers you to be alive, it won't be long before he finds out we're no longer in the Netherrealm."

Jade nodded. "Of course, Princess."

After Jade left, Liu turned to Kitana. "You let that child defeat both you and Sindel?"

"I underestimated her," Kitana said. "Just as you underestimated Raiden. Had Mother been as powerful as she was when she killed me the first time, it would not have been a problem. If I were still a revenant, I would have long since rectified the situation. Now, looking back...I can honestly say that I am impressed."

"I can't deny that both he and Sonya trained their daughter well," Liu said. "I can see why Shinnok saw Cage as a credible threat." He tapped at the newspaper. "I'm willing to bet that Raiden may be involved. If I was them, I would had relocated."

"You think it may have something to do with him being corrupted from purging the Jinsei?" Kitana asked.

"It's likely. Maybe if we run into them, we can get the entire story."

"And then what?" Kitana posed. "What shall be done with the Cage family?"

"It all depends on where they stand with Raiden," Liu replied. "But if Raiden was corrupted by cleansing the Jinsei and the Cage family is still alive, then maybe we can use this to our advantage."

Kitana couldn't help but to agree.

* * *

Kamar-Taj, nighttime.

Cassie didn't take the news of having to relearn how to fight again all too well. But she did accept the news of her parents training her once again in martial arts, not to mention that she was a fledgling telepath.

Sonya had trained Cassie in Kempo. And Cassie absolutely hated it. Aside from Kempo, Sonya was also a black belt in Taekwondo. As it turned out, Cassie was a huge fan of the style. When Sonya offered to teach it to her, Cassie agreed almost instantly.

Like Sonya, Johnny also knew two different styles, Karate and Jeet Kune Do. Cassie had been a prodigy in Karate and had won several junior martial arts tournaments back in Earthrealm. When her parents divorced, she stopped competing altogether.

"I missed so much out of your childhood, Cassie. For that, I'm sorry," Sonya said as she tucked Cassie into bed.

"I know. Dad told me what you said to him on Kotal Kahn's ship. Back when you were looking for me and Jacqui," Cassie yawned.

Sonya was surprised. "He did?" she asked.

Cassie nodded. "That, and I kinda snuck a peek into your mind," she sheepishly admitted. "You really did say that."

While Sonya was annoyed that Cassie had poked around in her mind, she nodded. "Yeah. I seriously screwed up, choosing my job over your father and you. Just stay out of my head from now on."

"Okay. I guess being six again means that you can try and make it up to me," Cassie admitted.

Sonya smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Thanks for giving me a second chance. Good night, kiddo."

"'Night, Mom."

Once she left Cassie alone, Sonya found Johnny on the rooftop, looking over the small community. "Thought I'd find you here," Sonya said.

"Am I that predictable?" he asked.

"I was married to you, remember?" Sonya replied, walking over to him. "You always go to the rooftop to think, or if you want some time to yourself." She studied his face. "This is probably the first time I've seen you at peace in years, despite everything that's happened."

"Even I need a little bit of order in my life. So you and Cassie...?"

"We're working on it. Seriously...I can't believe you remembered that. What I told you when we were alone together."

"It always stuck with me," Johnny admitted, knowing what she meant. "I told Cassie that to show her that you're not Miss Perfect. That you also have your own personal demons to face. I also remembered you saying that we were wrong for each other from the start."

"You're an actor, and I'm...well, I was with the military," Sonya said. She sighed. "I just hope I get a full military funeral."

"Former actor," Johnny corrected. "This was supposed to be my last year."

"You were going to retire?"

Johnny nodded. "I'd figured thirty years entertaining the masses was enough. Now, I can try something new."

Sonya looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "Are you okay, Johnny? You are...you, right?"

Johnny sighed. "Yes, babe. It's me."

Normally, Sonya would reprimand him for using that term of endearment. Instead, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank the Elder Gods. Only you can piss me off by calling me that."

"And you've pissed me off plenty over the years," Johnny said. "Even up to when Shinnok's amulet was stolen."

Sonya sighed. "Thank you, Johnny. For not leaving me behind. You took a great risk in taking me with you."

"It was the right thing to do. Plus, Cass would've never forgiven me if we'd left you behind."

"Probably the only time I'm glad she both disobeyed orders and assaulted me." There was something that was bothering Sonya. She just had to know. "How did you know...that I wasn't...me?"

Johnny held up a finger. "One: you were extremely vocal in how Raiden handled Kahn's invasion. Your faith in him was nearly shattered following the Blood Code." A second finger joined the first. "Two: you always hid your accent. Even my parents and sister didn't realize that you were from Texas until you told them. When Raiden corrupted you, it bled out whenever you spoke until you dropped it completely." A third finger rose. "Third, you never addressed Raiden as 'Lord Raiden,' not even 'Sir.'" A fourth finger rose. "Last, you suck at seduction. You usually jump on me or I seduce you."

Sonya looked at him. Then she shook her head. "Unbelievable..."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "You pick stuff up when your dad is a cop. No one would expect Yours Truly to be observant. Especially when it comes to you."

"And what do you know about me?"

"You like soft and classic rock, you like classic cars like me, you're a teetotaler and non-smoker and you're a natural blond. And you hide your resentment well. Raiden? No one would notice. Me, on the other hand..."

Sonya winced. Even though she was the one who wanted the divorce, she had continued to give her ex-husband grief whenever he extended the olive branch. One particular moment played back in her mind.

[Flashback]

 _Refugee Kamp, the Command Tent_

" _Well...this is cozy," Johnny mused, as he and Sonya stood on opposite ends of the table, General Blade looking ratherannoyed in being in the same room as with her ex-husband._

 _Seated at the table, was Li Mei, who noticed the tension between the former couple. She turned to Johnny, hoping to break the tension._

 _Little did she know that she would ignite them with a vengeance._

" _You remind me of an Earthrealmer who crossed over with us," Li Mei said. "He also found humor in everything."_

" _Handsome guy, right?" Johnny asked, while Sonya rolled her eyes, muttering "Jesus Christ, Cage" under her breath._

 _The joke, however was seemingly lost on the Outworlder._

" _He was an Earthrealmer," Li Mei said. The next six words would put four of the gathered kombatants in the room on edge, more so than Sonya, given her past history with the man in question. "One of his eyes...glowed red."_

 _At this, not only did Johnny and Sonya knew exactly who Li Mei was describing, but also Cassie and Jacqui. "He's here?" Johnny heard his honorary niece whisper._

 _Sonya's reaction was instant. She turned to Kenshi. "Kenshi, continue with Li Mei. I'm going to the refugee camp. Gotta get to him before he finds a way out."_

" _I'll come with," Johnny said, falling in step beside her._

 _Sonya stopped and turned to Johnny. "No. Go to Colonel Flagg and get an update on the camp's security."_

 _Now Johnny was puzzled. "Why?"_

 _Sonya's voice was cold as ice. "Because then you won't be here."_

 _Jacqui, Takeda and Jin winced at Sonya's cold reply. Johnny looked outraged, but none more so than Cassie. She took several steps forward, ready to tear into her mother, not caring if she was a higher rank than her, but a raised hand from her father told her to stand down. Sonya looked at her daughter, who glared back at her before turning back to her ex-husband. Giving Sonya a hard glare, he left the tent without a single word, Sonya watching him leave._

[End Flashback]

Sonya closed her eyes in shame. "I'm sorry. For how I treated you. For demanding the divorce...everything. I only asked for the divorce out of my own wounded pride. You made it look easy, balancing your work with your private life. I couldn't do that. I thought that made you better than me."

Normally, Johnny would probably rub it in Sonya's face. But he was actually shocked. His ex-wife was actually apologizing for the first time in their many, many years of knowing each other. "I made it look easy, but it wasn't. In that case, I'm sorry too," he said.

Now it was Sonya's turn to be surprised. "For what?"

"You were partially right when you said that I wanted to be the center of attention," Johnny admitted. "While I did wanted to spend more time with Cassie when she joined S-F, I also wanted to be closer to you."

Sonya cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really? After how I've treated you after I've asked for the divorce?"

"Someone has to be your conscience. Even the most hardened of soldiers stumble, and whether you wanted me there or not, someone has to be there to catch you when you fall. Aside from that, I just wanted Sonya, not Major Blade, Colonel Blade or General Blade."

The couple was silent for a moment, Sonya taking a moment to absorb what Johnny had said. "So...what happens now?" Sonya asked. "We just agreed that the divorce was a bad thing and we both apologized for our faults."

"What do you want, Sonya?" Johnny challenged.

"You said that you wanted us to work when I told you that I was pregnant with Cassie. I wanted us to work...but I was afraid of opening myself up. After Kano killed my first fiance and partner...I just closed myself off. You are conceited and a total jerk. You also tend to piss me off a lot, Johnny. But we've been through a lot together too."

Johnny nodded. That was nothing he heard before. "And you can be a total bitch when you don't get your way. For you, it's your way or the highway. You do have redeeming qualities. You have a good heart, which is what drew me to you. And no matter what you may think, Cassie thinks the world of you. It's one of the main reasons why she decided to join the Army."

Again, the couple were silent. Then they broke out in laughter. "So...where does this leave us?" Johnny asked.

"We can't go back to the status quo," Sonya said. "We're here in a different Earth. Might as well start with a clean slate between us."

"So...we're on opposite ends of a bridge. Sooner or later, we're gonna have to meet up somewhere in the middle, right?"

Sonya nodded.

Johnny regarded Sonya for a moment. Then he extended his hand. "Johnny Cage, from Venice, California."

Sonya looked at Johnny, then back at the hand. She took it and shook it. "Sonya Blade. Austin, Texas," she replied in her southern twang.

It wasn't much, but it was a start.


	5. 3: Champions

**Chapter Three: Champions**

 **UPDATE!** Wonder why Sonya's eye color is now purple? Read on.

Cage Residence, San Francisco, California – six months later.

Sonya had to admit that Johnny had chosen a nice place for the family to rebuild their shattered lives. It wasn't as big as the Venice Beach condo back in Earthrealm, but it was nice regardless. The beach house was originally a bed-and-breakfast inn before Johnny had bought it out from its previous owners, and had converted it to his personal home; five bedrooms and three bathrooms. The home was chosen due to its seclusion and privacy, located in a quiet section of San Francisco's Sea Cliff district.

And he had his sister play as house-sitter while he was away making the final preparations in Earthrealm for their relocation.

It was also the only time that Sonya was thankful that she had a hacker with a felony record a mile wide for a former sister-in-law. While Yao and his band of sorcerers were able to play with the minds of the people, making them remember the Cage family for good or ill, it had been Rebecca who did the proverbial heavy lifting. Sonya had found out that Johnny had given copies of their birth certificates to Rebecca, in order for her to plant them into the various record archives.

Yao also had friends in San Francisco who had also provided Johnny the perfect alibi as to why he knew martial arts.

Six months had passed since arriving in this version of Earth. Since then, Johnny, Sonya and Cassie had settled down somewhat. Sonya had expected Johnny to return to acting. But much to her surprise, he didn't. However, it was no surprise to Johnny and Cassie when Sonya decided to re-enilst into the Army.

Of course, she would be at the bottom of the totem pole, a stark contrast as to her former life as a General. Sonya had no problem with that. She had been an enlistee back in Earthrealm before Jax found her, and recommended her for Officers' Candidate School.

Not this time around. This is where once again, Rebecca Cage (formerly, Carlton) came in. A high-school diploma with her name on it was on file, as were those of her brother and herself.

Sonya would be pulling double-duty, attending college alongside her obligations to the Army. By the time her enlistment would end, she would had finished her degree, and when she renewed her contract, she would be a Second Lieutenant.

Johnny, on the other hand, had decided on a new career path.

Rather than return to acting, Johnny and Rebecca had opted to open a software firm, with Rebecca using her hacking skills for good. The security encryption code she had written had already made them millions, allowing the siblings to expand their business.

But for Johnny, this was just merely the beginning.

Aside the software firm, Johnny had been making a name for himself in various martial arts tournaments across the country. So far, his record was perfect with ten wins and no losses, and making some serious coin in the process. Soon, he would take his show on the road.

Sonya and Cassie were getting along much better now, Johnny realized as the Cage family sat on the outdoor patio, enjoying breakfast. While Cassie had problems learning Kempo in the past, Sonya had been thrilled to discover that their warrior princess was a prodigy in Taekwondo.

The meditation and mind-building scrolls Yao had given them to help Cassie better train her mutant abilities were also helping. Maybe it was the fact that she was technically a twenty-two year old in a six-year-old's body that helped with her enduring the strain on her brain.

Yao had said that until she reached twenty-two, her brain would not age. It was in a state of...stasis, to put it simply. Either way, Cassie could now lift items three times her weight and fling it several feet with impunity. She could also read minds, save for her parents, as Yao had mental blocks installed in their minds. He also unlocked Johnny's inborn powers, allowing him better control of his own abilities.

For Sonya, it had been a different story. The corruption from the Blood Code was still present within her, Yao being unable to remove it completely. Just as Cassie's X-gene had activated when she stepped through the portal coming from Earthrealm, the remnants of the Blood Code had somehow bonded to Sonya's body. The Blood Code not only granted its victim the ability to heal injuries, but also increased their strength to superhuman levels.

Something which Sonya herself knew, and Kintaro found out the hard way, seeing as she was the one who had literally ripped off his head with her bare hands, Cassie and Jacqui holding the Tigrar Shokan in place.

But as Yao had explained it, Sonya's exposure to blood magik was in this case, a blessing, rather than a curse. While she lacked the superhuman strength back when she was enslaved to it, she did gain a significant boost in strength, becoming just as strong as Johnny. It also made her even tougher, allowing her to take even more damage, and her exposure also had gifted her regenerative capabilities.

Johnny, being Johnny, decided to test out this theory. He had placed a thick wooden board in the ground, complete with a crude drawing of Kano's head. While Sonya already hated the Australian mercenary with a passion, one memory in particular had unexpected results neither person had expected.

 _"A trade! Info for freedom."_

 _"I don't negotiate with scumbags."_

 _"Well then...if mother won't play nice, maybe daughter will."_

 _"If you touch her..."_

 _"Back off, and all's well. Piss me off, then Cassie's gonna meet Uncle Kano."_

 _"I swear to God I'll kill you!"_

The end result? Sonya punching the board in two. Not as impressive as ripping a head off, but impressive nonetheless.

Last, was the reason why her eyes were now purple. While she was unconscious, the remnants of the Blood Code had manifested, the red seeping into her pupils, changing the color from blue to purple. While Sonya had been annoyed at the loss of her periwinkle blues, Johnny pointed out that it could be worse.

Rebecca Cage (formerly Carlton) watched as the couple and their daughter chatted. As the younger sister of Johnny Cage, she had heard it all in regards to her brother. Inter-dimensional tournaments and invasions, mystical amulets, undead ninjas (and warriors). Despite being a hacker, it made Becky feel good about herself that she wasn't the one with the crazy life.

When Johnny had told her about Raiden's impending corruption and the inevitable events that were to follow, he had given her an important task: to make sure that things were situated and ready once the time came for Johnny and Cassie to flee Earthrealm. Like her brother, Sonya, and Cassie, Rebecca had de-aged upon stepping through the portal, going from a forty-nine year old hacker with a felony record who hasn't been married to a nineteen year old fresh out of high school.

Oh, the possibilities, Rebecca had originally thought.

However, Johnny had forced her to promise that she would keep her nose clean. When Rebecca was planning otherwise, Johnny pulled out his trump card: her niece.

"If you can't do it for Dad, then do it for me, Beck."

So now, Rebecca was bound by her promise to Cassie, and promises made to her favorite niece were those she took seriously.

The security encryption program she had developed had made the budding software firm that she and her brother founded several millions. And Johnny wanted to expand.

When he told her that he wanted to become a businessman/industrialist, Rebecca laughed. Then Johnny had showed her the laptop containing every single bit of S-F's research. While Sonya had been firm in not using the portal tech, she allowed Rebecca to research the possibilities of bionic limbs, medical and clean energy research.

Suffice to say, the results were promising. But Sonya agreed to let the research be used one bit at a time. After all, technically, it belonged to her.

Much to Rebecca's delight, Johnny and Sonya were getting along much better. Despite being a criminal, Rebecca had gotten along with Sonya the best.

Johnny had cooked breakfast. While Sonya admit she all but sucked in the kitchen, her greatest weakness – one shared with Cassie and Rebecca – was her ex-husband's cooking, especially his self-proclaimed 'world-famous shadow pancakes.'

It was one of several things Sonya had missed about her ex-husband.

"So," Rebecca began, pausing to take a drink of milk, "From General back to Private."

"Specialist," Sonya corrected, her Texas drawl evident. "That doctored diploma you made for me showed that I completed JROTC. Barely made it before the three-year grace period ended. Otherwise, I'd be a Private for real."

"Any idea as to where you're heading?" Rebecca asked.

"Fort Burton, out in New York," Sonya replied. "The base is in Duchess County about five miles out from Union Vale."

"So Johnny's moving in with you while you're away, right?" Rebecca prodded.

"Actually, Johnny and I will be sharing a place in Union Vale while he commutes to New York City proper to oversee the expansion of the company," Sonya reminded her.

"Oh. Right. I forgot about that. You sure that Manhattan would be a suitable location to expand our business?" Rebecca asked.

"Positive, Johnny replied. "I've looked over the locations, and New York is the best location. As Cassie will be going with us, there is a school there that Sonya and I have been checking out which is perfect for her. In fact, I ran into one of their representatives a couple of days ago. A Doctor McCoy. He told me that his boss is a telepath like Cass, and can help her better control her powers."

"Sounds interesting," Rebecca said.

"They should be arriving within the hour," Johnny said. "I invited them both here so they can make their pitch. It sounds

interesting, but I want both Cassie and Sonya to hear it before we make our final decision."

 **KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.**

"That must be them," Johnny said. He turned to his sister. "Beck, you mind getting the door?"

"Sure," Rebecca replied, not noticing the smirk on her brother's face. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she rose from the table and re-entered the house.

Upon opening the door, she was greeted with the sight of two men, one of which was in a wheelchair. The man in the wheelchair was around her brother's age, if not older, bald, and dressed in a business suit. But it was his companion that made Rebecca pause.

He was shorter than Johnny, standing around Sonya's height, but was, in the words of her father, Robert Carlton, "built like a shit brickhouse."

And hairy. Unlike the wheelchair-bound man, he was dressed like a tourist; loud Hawaiian-style shirt, shorts, and sandals. A bandanna was tied around his head, but behind the eyes, Rebecca can see the intelligence behind his eyes.

"Uh..." Rebecca began.

"I'm looking for Johnny Cage," the big man said. "I was told to come to this address."

"You've found him," Johnny said, emerging from the backyard porch alongside Cassie and Sonya. "I think you broke my sister, Doctor."

"Hank may look intimidating, but he is a pleasant guy to be around," the bald man said.

Rebecca quickly got over her gaffe and invited the two men in.

"My sister, Rebecca Cage," Johnny introduced. He then motioned to Sonya. "My girlfriend, Sonya Blade, and our daughter, Cassandra."

Cassie waved in greeting, while Sonya nodded.

"Charles Xavier," the man introduced himself. "And this is Hank McCoy."

Rebecca knew from experience, that once again, nothing was ever simple. It never was with her brother and his family.

* * *

Everyone settled in the living room, with Cassie seated in between her parents on the love seat, Hank in the armchair and Rebecca sitting cross-legged on the couch, and Xavier beside Hank. Johnny offered the two men drinks, but they both refused.

"So what did Hank tell you about my Institute?" Xavier asked.

"Doctor McCoy told me that your school caters those who are, in your words, 'gifted,'" Johnny replied.

"So you are aware of Cassandra's abilities, I take it?" Xavier asked.

Johnny grinned. He turned to his daughter. "Cass?"

Cassie smirked as she looked at Hank, and concentrated. Both the massive man and the chair slowly lifted off the ground until it was hovering a foot from the floor.

"Oh...oh my..." Hank gasped.

Then, just to show off, Cassie slowly spun the chair – and Hank – 360 degrees before setting the chair back down on the floor.

"That's...very impressive," Xavier said.

' **My telepathy isn't too shabby either** ,' Cassie noted. ' **So much so that I can read the minds of people fifty feet from me.** '

' **Impressive indeed,** ' Xavier said.

Sonya rolled her eyes.

"Both Sonya and I are martial artists," Johnny explained. "We both believe that aside from building one's body through rigorous training, the same can be said with the mind."

"Once we found out what Cassie's abilities were, we started to train her in order to better control her abilities," Sonya added. "Meditation and mind training techniques work wonders."

Xavier turned to Cassie. "Most children are not as fortunate as you, Cassandra. You have the support of your parents. The majority of parents tend to abandon or outright disown their children once it's discovered that they have the X-Gene. People tend to fear what they don't understand."

"That is where the Xavier Institute comes in," Hank said. "We give those with such gifts a safe and stable place to learn and grow up with those who are like them. We also teach them how to properly use and harness those powers for the benefit of both mankind and mutantkind."

"Where is the school located?" Sonya asked.

"Westchester County, New York," Xavier replied.

"Well that's perfect," Johnny said. "Sonya's being stationed close by and I plan on expanding the firm out in New York City."

"It's a safe bet to say that my posting will be for at least four years," Sonya said.

"If you don't mind my asking, what exactly do you do?" Xavier asked.

"Aside from fighting in various martial arts tournaments, Rebecca and I co-own a software firm," Johnny explained. "Rebecca and I had both talked about expanding out on the East Coast. Beck has no desire of relocating, but if it's to keep close to Sonya and Cassie, then I have no problem with it."

Xavier turned to Sonya. "Miss Blade?"

Sonya took a moment to gather her words. "I'm a bit apprehensive...if I was stationed elsewhere, I would had said 'no' outright. Fortunately, as Johnny said, Fort Burton is close by to your school, and if Cassie is willing to give it a shot, then I'll agree."

"What do you say, Cassandra?" Xavier asked. "Would you like to attend my academy?"

Johnny and Sonya looked at their daughter. "Punkin?" her father prodded.

"I'd like to give it a shot," Cassie said.

Xavier smiled. "Good. Very good. I promise you all that you won't regret this decision."

"If Cassie is as good as she just demonstrated, she has the potential to become even greater," Hank said. "Her skills are amazing for someone as young."

"At least this way, Cassie can get a good education, and we both can be close by to continue her training," Sonya said. "We always try to act with her best interests in mind."

"Come by the office tomorrow, and we'll sort out the details for Cassie," Johnny said. "Will 2 p.m. work for you, Mr. Xavier?"

"Perfect," Xavier replied.

With an exchange of farewells, Charles Xavier and Hank McCoy left the residence.

* * *

Since it was the weekend, Rebecca offered to keep Cassie while Johnny and Sonya took to sightseeing around the city. Fortunately, San Francisco here was just the same as it was in Earthrealm. For Sonya, it actually felt...nice, being able to let her guard down.

It was also even more nice not having to deal with the paparazzi trying to snap pictures of them. Sure Johnny was becoming a rising star in the martial arts world, which meant that he had to sign the occasional autograph, but he wad adamant in saying that he was finished with the film industry.

The pair were walking the streets of San Francisco's Chinatown, Johnny in a gray Oxford business shirt, sleeves rolled up, the top button of the shirt undone and the shirt itself untucked, denim pants and running shoes. The shades were on his face. Sonya was also dressed casual, in a black midriff shirt, showing off her flat stomach, her old pair of black military pants, and her custom-made combat boots. Her hair was tied back into her ponytail.

"So what do you think of Xavier?" Johnny asked.

"I like what he's offering," Sonya replied in her southern accent. "And I've looked at the pamphlets. The Institute would be a good place for Cassie to grow. And we'll be close by in case anything comes up." She paused for a moment. "This is...nice. Not being hounded by reporters or photographers."

"It's one thing that I sure as hell don't miss," Johnny replied.

"You were serious about not going back to acting?" Sonya asked.

"Yup. Had a couple of offers after my last match, but I turned them down. The firm is starting to take off, and I want to do something more meaningful."

"By that, you mean using S-F tech to build your business," Sonya pointed out. She had seen the data that was on the hardened laptop. "Tech that is technically mine to begin with."

"Yours seeing as how no one here doesn't have the tech yet. Technically, you don't own the Lin Kuei tech on that laptop, babe."

"Still mine regardless."

"Subzero would disagree with that."

After a brief silence, Sonya asked, "How long are we going to be here?"

"Dunno. Yao said that time here passes by differently than it does back in Earthrealm," the former actor explained. "Years can pass here whereas months may pass back home, so he says."

"You still haven't given me a good reason as to why I should let you go along with this plan using my tech," Sonya said.

"Between Rebecca, myself, and you, seeing as how it is technically yours to begin with, we're offering you a share of thirty percent."

Sonya cocked an eyebrow. "You're making me a partner?"

"The silent kind, but yeah. Rebecca and I talked about it and we decided to pitch it to you."

"I get thirty percent," Sonya mulls. "What's your cut?"

"Forty percent."

Sonya did the math in her head. "So Rebecca and I get thirty percent, while you get the lion's share."

"She's not greedy. She's happy with thirty percent. And she gets a sizable cut seeing as how her encryption program was her brainchild. Everyone walks away happy."

"And rich," added Sonya. She groaned. "My accent's slipping."

"Why hide it? I always found it cute."

"Maybe for you, but people don't take me seriously if I sound like a dumb hick. I'm a Texas girl through and through, but sounding like a redneck will not help my career."

"I guess this is where I come in," Johnny said.

"What do you mean?"

"Sonya? Actor, remember?" His voice changed into a smooth southern accent. "I'm pretty good with accents." Then he changed it into a British accent. "If you need help in sounding professional but retaining a hint of your accent, you can ask me for help."

Sonya chuckled. "Showoff."

"Wouldn't be me if I wasn't."

"Although Rebecca could have given us a better cover story to explain Cassie."

Johnny frowned. The official cover story Rebecca had devised was that Cassie was the product of a teenage pregnancy, with Johnny as the father. Sonya had been disowned from her family, while Johnny and Rebecca had been orphaned and living off their parents' life insurance.

"I've really been meaning to talk to Rebecca about that," Johnny grumbled, just as a young Chinese girl came running up to the pair.

"Excuse me, are you Johnny Cage?" the girl asked.

"Yes I am," the former actor confirmed.

The girl produced a folded sheet of paper and handed it to him. "Compliments of the Emperor and Empress," she said before running off.

Both Johnny and Sonya's eyes widened in a combination of horror and dread. Only two people they knew fit that description down to a tee. Only thing was that they should be in the Netherrealm. And on top of that, Johnny didn't have any fond memories of his former allies following their deaths.

Slowly, Johnny unfolded the sheet of paper. It was written in Chinese, a language that Johnny, thankfully, could read.

 **Johnny Cage. Sonya Blade. Come to the West Entrance of Portsmouth Square. We have much to discuss. Liu Kang and Kitana.**

"Well?" Sonya prodded.

Johnny looked at his ex-wife. "Liu and Kitana are both here in the city. They want to meet."

Only two words came out of Sonya's mouth. "Well, shit."

* * *

Portsmouth Square – West Entrance.

It was known as the 'Heart of Chinatown,' named after the U.S.S. Portsmouth, which was commanded by Captain John B. Montgomery, of which the street now bears his name. The park itself was the size of a city block, stretching from Kearny Street on the eastern side, Washington Street on the North, Clay Street on the South, and Walter Lum Place on the west.

The place was rich in history, a past time Liu Kang had enjoyed. He knew that Johnny didn't forget that he had threatened his daughter, which is why he had requested the meeting at a public place.

He and Kitana had been in San Francisco for several days by portal, arriving inside a safehouse that they used whenever on assignment, watching Johnny's every move following Jade showing them an article on Johnny's rising star in the martial arts world, having won three tournaments. Even more surprising was that Johnny had refused to go into film.

But what shocked the three former revenants was that the attractive blonde on his arm and the little girl at his feet were his ex-wife and daughter, the trio having lost several years the last time they had saw them.

There were many unspoken questions between them, despite how things had ended between the two men. But Liu and Kitana had to know what has happened in Earthrealm following Raiden's warning to the both of them back in the Netherrealm.

Standing on the walkway overlooking the park, Liu waited, Kitana by his side. The pair was dressed incognito; Liu in a slightly rumpled khaki shirt, partially concealed by his leather jacket, dark slacks and worn shoes. Kitana, while preferring the Edenian or Chinese manner of dress, was clad in a Japanese weekend blouse-and-sweater combo, the sweater being blue, of course, a dark pair of denim jeans and sandals. Her dark hair was twisted into a single braid.

The child that Liu had sent to deliver his message was the first of their clan. A homeless girl, unwanted and unloved due to her mixed heritage. Jade had brought her home, and decided to adopt her as her own.

In the six months since arriving, the Red Lotus Clan was making a name for itself in the criminal underworld. And Liu Kang was proving to be quite the assassin, much to Kitana's delight. His time in the Netherrealm had already made him an efficient killer, and in the twenty-five years since their first deaths, Liu had become even more dangerous back when he was Raiden's champion.

The size of the clan also grew, it had went from just himself, Kitana and Jade to thirty-three. Three months ago, Liu and Kitana had accepted a contract from a grieving mother, whose daughter had ran away, only to be exploited by a pimp, turned out, and murdered when she tried to return home, the pimp having gotten away with her murder when he bribed the judge to throw out the case.

That had struck a chord with Kitana. If there was one thing that could possibly top her hatred of Raiden, Quan Chi and

Shinnok (in that order), it was child molesters and rapists.

This stemmed back to an incident back in her days as an Outworld Assassin under Shao Kahn. Following Goro's victory over the Great Kung Lao, Reiko had raped Jade following the victory feast. Kitana had beaten her father's greatest general within an inch of his life upon discovering that not only Reiko had violated Jade, but the rape had left Jade unable to bear children. Normally, Kahn would had been outraged over his stepdaughter's actions, but he despised rapists more. While this action had caused Reiko to lose favor in Shao Kahn's court, it also had the unexpected consequence of turning Reiko in Havik's direction.

It also turned Kitana off from men for centuries...until she met Liu Kang.

The pimp also operated a child pornography ring inside an abandoned warehouse...and upon finding this out, Kitana saw red. Liu, Kitana and Jade tore through the warehouse, killing the men inside with extreme prejudice. Kitana had taken sadistic pleasure not seen since her days as an Outworld assassin or a Netherrealm revenant, torturing the pimp, making him beg for death.

Only when Kitana had emasculated him, followed by severing his hands and tri-secting his head, did the pimp consider death a blessing.

The attack on the illegal studio had also netted the trio not only the pimp's financial resources, but also thirty orphaned and exploited children. Homeless children, of Chinese, Thai, Korean and Vietnamese origin, street urchins that would not be missed. They would become the first-generation recruits for the Red Lotus.

Whenever Liu and Kitana were not out on assignment, they were training the children in the art of kombat, recon, stealth and assassination. The cover for the Red Lotus was that of an orphanage and martial arts school, hence the children. Of course, the more superstitious locals tend to keep away from the compound.

Only Liu and Kitana were in the city. Jade remained behind at the compound.

Kitana watched the people go about their day, enjoying themselves. "Back in Outworld, Shao Kahn had several cells infiltrate Earthrealm," she said. "One of which was in San Francisco's Chinatown and Japantown."

"You're thinking that we can do the same here?" Liu asked.

"Something like that," Kitana replied. "Only we use the Red Lotus operatives to infiltrate the city and act as our eyes and ears."

"Hmm...sounds promising. We'll look into it later. We can use more eyes and ears here."

"Do you really think that buffoon and Raiden's princess would accept your invite?" Kitana asked.

"If they don't, I wouldn't be too surprised. Perhaps Johnny Cage is craven, and Raiden's faith in him was misplaced."

"I wouldn't go that far, Liu."

Liu and Kitana turned to the source of the voice. Standing less than six feet away, was Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. While Sonya looked serious regardless, Liu and Kitana noted the lack of humor on the former actor's face. The former monk and the Edenian also took notice that Sonya was wearing her gauntlets.

Both Kitana and Liu noticed Sonya's purple eyes, but they both decided to ask about that later.

"You're right about one thing, Liu," Johnny said. "My faith in Raiden was misplaced after Shinnok. As for me being craven, I'm insulted. I survived everything from Mortal Kombat to Shinnok." He looked at Liu. "You've lost a couple of years yourself, Liu. Last time you looked so young was during Kahn's invasion. Personally, I thought the invite was a joke. But my curiosity got the better of me. Guess that's the reason why Sonya and I decided to come."

"Is your name still on your chest?" Kitana sneered.

His response surprised the assassin. "No. It's not."

"And I take offense to being called 'Raiden's princess,'" Sonya rebuked, the accent now gone. "I wasn't even prom queen."

"I can crown you regardless," Kitana threatened. "You are armed."

"So are you," Sonya replied. "You never go anywhere without your war fans."

Kitana smirked. As expected, her fans appeared in her hands, closed. "You're absolutely right, General," she replied, pronouncing Sonya's former title with sarcasm, hoping to get a rise out of her.

She was disappointed when she got none.

"Cute, yet still can't trash talk," Johnny muttered.

"Kitana...calm," Liu ordered. "We're not here to fight...as much as I want to."

"I'm very tempted to break your neck after you threatened my daughter," Sonya said.

"So Johnny told you about that?" Kitana asked.

"Yes. Both you and Liu..."

"Sonya..."

Sonya caught the underlying tone in her ex-husband's voice. There was a reason why he was the calm one between the pair. She swallowed her retort and backed down.

With Sonya calm, Johnny turned back to Liu. "So what's this? A conversation between former champions?" Johnny asked.

Liu looked amused. "Something like that," he replied as Kitana put her fans away.

"Last time I saw you alive, Raiden killed you," Sonya said. She turned to Kitana. "Sindel killed both you and Jade. How are you alive?"

"Liu and I both have Jade to thank for that," Kitana replied. "Even though we have been friends for many, many years, I did not know that not only was Jade a mystic, but also knew the secret to reverse death. She revived herself during the Netherrealm War, and waited until Quan Chi and Shinnok were out of the picture before doing the same to the both of us."

"This is no illusion," Liu said. "We both live again, purged of the Netherrealm's corruption."

Johnny stared at the former revenants long and hard for a moment. Then he turned to Sonya. "It's true. I can't sense any form of corruption from them," he said.

"How...?" Kitana asked, surprised.

"Warrior bloodline," Johnny explained. "Mediterranean warrior cult that bred fighters for the gods. It's how both Cassie and myself survived Shinnok."

"The animosity for Earthrealm and Raiden is still there," Sonya added. "I can see it in your face. There's even some animosity towards me. Even when you died the first time, I'd never forget that look you gave him."

"My death was, much to my shame, my fault," Liu admitted. "Now, answer my question. What are you doing here?"

Liu had expected Johnny to reply with a snide or sarcastic remark, but it was Sonya who answered the question. "Raiden has gone mad with power. Cleansing the Jinsei of Shinnok's corruption has all but changed him into something worse - a power-mad tyrant. He used the power of the amulet to brainwash the others, myself included. Jax, Kenshi, Hanzo, Kuai Liang, and Cassie's teammates."

"And you fled here, while everyone else thinks you're dead," Liu noted. "Jade traveled to Earthrealm and brought back news of your demise alongside your ex-husband and daughter."

"How did you avoid the corruption?" Kitana asked.

"I was warned of Raiden's inevitable corruption and of Shinnok's defeat years before," Johnny explained. "I tried to warn Sonya after Cassie defeated Shinnok, but she brushed me off. So I made the preparations to relocate. Me and Cassie against eight – well, seven – corrupted kombatants, two of which are ninjas, and one mad thunder god...no chance in Hell that we could win."

"Raiden tried to lure Cassie into a trap," Sonya continued. "The corruption's influence amplifies if someone was corrupted in the past."

"The Blood Code for yourself, Johnny and Cassandra, not to mention Jacqueline Briggs and Kuai Liang," Liu noted. Off the shocked expressions of Johnny and Sonya, Liu smiled meanly. "Havik did not act alone. Quan Chi tasked him with retrieving Shinnok's Amulet in order to free him, and supplied him with the blood magik from Nitara."

"But Havik went off-script and decided to invade the Netherrealm instead," Johnny said. "Whatever happened to that guy anyway?"

"Hanzo decapitated him and delivered his head to the Netherrealm," Kitana replied. "Then Quan Chi crushed it under his boot."

"Good riddance," Sonya muttered.

"I'm also guessing that since Jax, Hanzo and Kuai Liang were once revenants, the effectiveness of the corruption increases, right?" Liu guessed.

Johnny and Sonya both nodded.

"By the time the others were corrupted, Cassie and I remained," Johnny concluded. "Raiden had ordered her to kill what she thought was Shang Tsung, but she assassinated Shujinko instead. Rather than report in at the Sky Temple, she fled back to America."

"And I was tasked with subduing Johnny and bringing him to Raiden," Sonya concluded.

Liu and Kitana digested this information. Nightwolf had theorized that Raiden had corrupted himself after purging the Jinsei, hence his darker attire. But to go as far as to inflict the same corruption upon his warriors...

"You always had the annoying talent of making the impossible possible, Cage," Kitana dryly noted. "A trait that you obviously passed down to your daughter."

"Cassie told me about the showdown at the Sky Temple in her debrief," Sonya said.

"We both suspected that Raiden had corrupted himself when he came to visit the both of us in the Netherrealm," Liu explained.

"Sonya mentioned that Raiden delivered Shinnok's head to the both of you."

Liu nodded. "With Shinnok's defeat, the Netherrealm was in chaos. Kitana and I fought our way to the top. When it was all over, we were recognized as Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm, with Kung Lao and Sindel as our Generals. I guess it must have been a month after Shinnok's fall that Raiden came."

* * *

[Flashback]

 _Shortly after Shinnok's defeat..._

 _Seated on his throne, Liu Kang's golden-red eyes looked down on his former mentor with nothing but contempt. Kitana, seated next to him, her own eyes matching those of Liu's own._

 _However, unlike the battered and bruised thunder god that they had beaten down in the Sky Temple, this Raiden looked...different. The conical straw hat looked the same, but his clothing had taken on darker colors, his skin tone was darker, and his eyes glowed yellow, rather than blue. To add insult to injury, Shinnok's Amulet was clearly seen, as Raiden wore it on his chest, near his right shoulder. Slung over the other, was a sack._

" _You dare show your face here, thunder god?" Liu sneered. "I thought the beating that we had given you had made you learn your place."_

" _Or maybe, you have come to pay us homage, as we now rule the Netherrealm," Kitana added. "Then again, if we don't like your tribute, perhaps a second lesson is in order."_

 _Raiden paid the threats no mind as he folded his arms across his chest._

" _Too long have I allowed Earthrealm to endure the horrors of war," the dark thunder god growled, Liu and Kitana noticing the change in his tone. "Time and again we've defeated our enemies. But we've exacted no retribution. Demanded no remuneration."_

 _Raiden unfolded his arms and took a step forward. "And what have we gained for our mercy? More intrigue! More senseless violence!"_

 _The last word had some power behind it, causing Liu and Kitana others to flinch slightly. Raiden smirked, seeing that his words were starting to sink in. Raiden stepped back before continuing on. "As the new rulers of the Netherrealm, heed me. No longer will I simply defend Earthrealm. I will seek out and destroy all who threaten it." One hand clenched into a fist. "No mercy will be shown! No quarter given!"_

 _One hand opened the satchel, while the other reached inside. Liu and Kitana's eyes widened in horror as Raiden flung the head of Shinnok onto the carpet, where it rolled to a stop, the head still alive and in great pain, unable to speak._

 _Raiden pointed to the still-living head. "Shinnok was an Elder God. Impossible to kill." One final time, he stepped forward_

 _as he drove his threat home. "There are fates worse than death."_

 _The message sent, Raiden raised his hand to the heavens, and disappeared in a bolt of lightning, the scorched carpet the only sign of his being there._

 _Liu and Kitana rose from their thrones and walked over to the severed head. Then they looked at each other, seeing the worried looks on the other's faces, before turning back to the dismembered head._

[End Flashback]

"What happened to Shinnok's head?" Sonya asked.

"Sindel did away with it," Liu replied. "So, now you know the truth."

"Same can be said about why we're here. Sooner or later, we're gonna have to go back and face Raiden in order to free Jax and the others," Johnny said.

Liu slowly nodded.

"So what happens now?" Johnny posed. "You and Kitana are not here to kill us, otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"True. But I don't trust you, Cage," Liu said. "Neither you, Sonya, or your daughter. However, you have your reasons as to why you fled Earthrealm. Now, maybe you see Raiden as how Kitana and I do."

"Honestly, the further away we are from you, the better off we shall all be," Kitana added.

"Please tell me you're not thinking of setting up shop here," Johnny said.

"No. Liu and I are making our residence in China," Kitana said. "Like you, we are rebuilding our lives here."

"So you stay out of our way and we'll do the same with you," surmised Johnny. "A non-aggression pact between champions."

"Fair enough. As long as you honor your end of the pact, Kitana, Jade and myself shall honor our end as well," Liu said.

Johnny nodded. "Agreed."

The two former champions then shook on it. No further words were exchanged as both parties turned and walked away. Just to be on the safe side, Johnny and Sonya opted to leave for New York with Cassie come the end of the week.

* * *

Union Vale, New York – one year later.

The software firm was thriving, both in San Francisco and in Manhattan. Sonya had settled back in the military, and was steadily climbing the ranks, skipping a rank and making Sergeant within the year.

Cassie was having a blast at the Xavier Institute, Professor X and Hank giving Cassie's parents weekly progress reports on both her academic and her mutant skills. Cassie was at the top of her class in both.

Of course, neither man knew that their daughter was a twenty-two year-old de-aged sixteen years.

Normally, Cassie would stay with her parents for the weekend. But since Johnny was swamped with meetings and Sonya had to work late, she would be spending her Friday night at the Xavier Institute. Cassie didn't mind. After all, she made friends with a fellow telepath, a redhead by the name of Jean Grey.

It was also raining. While both Cassie and Sonya hated the rain, Johnny loved it.

Speaking of Sonya, she was now seeing a therapist due to her trust issues and her own traumatic past, not to mention that reconciling with both their daughter and himself had opened herself to trusting Johnny even more. Cassandra couldn't be anymore happier. She had enough of General Blade and her demanding nature. All she wanted was just plain Mom.

The house that Sonya had chosen for the duration of their stay was modest, yet efficient. A three-bedroom, two-point-five bathroom, complete with a nice kitchen, a basement and an outdoor deck. The rent was fifteen hundred a month, but Johnny made more than enough from fighting and running the firm to easily cover the rent.

At least it would be three more years before they could return to California.

Johnny took notice of Sonya's truck parked out in the driveway, showing that she was at home. He parked his own car beside the pickup, disengaged the engine and after a short climb up the porch steps, unlocked the door and walked inside.

Walking into the living room, he peeked over the couch. Nope. Sonya wasn't there. He sensed movement from behind him. Turning around, he was greeted with the site of his ex-wife, standing no less than six feet away from him, having descended from the stairs, wearing only a tanktop and her camo fatigues.

Johnny knew that Sonya was better at stealth than he was. Which is why he was not surprised when she had gotten the jump on him.

Before Johnny could utter her name, Sonya marched over to him and grabbed a double handful of his shirt. She shoved him up against the wall, pinning him there, and sealed his lips with hers, kissing him with an intensity he hasn't seen out of her since their marriage. Her hands were holding his head in place as Johnny responded, his tongue pushing his way into Sonya's mouth.

Johnny had expected many things out of his ex-wife. This, however, wasn't one of them. Sonya Blade, the military hard-ass, had ambushed him inside his home. Not that he was complaining. Then again, Johnny wasn't the type to play far, be it in kombat or in the bedroom.

Sonya let out a gasp as Johnny reverse their positions, this time slamming her against the wall. Rather than bending down to kiss her (as Johnny was slightly taller than she), Johnny grabbed a handful of his ex-wife's shapely rear and lifted her into the air. Sonya quickly responded by wrapping her strong legs around Johnny's waist.

"You're not winning this battle, Cage," Sonya rasped as Johnny attacked her neck and jawline. "Not this time."

Johnny looked at her and grinned. "Well, ring the bell, babe. You just earned a shot at the title."

They resumed their intense liplock, Johnny still pinning Sonya to the wall, stopping only to remove Sonya's shirt, leaving her in her bra. Johnny's shirt was literally ripped off his back by his ex-wife.

"You better not hold back," Sonya whispered.

"I never do," her ex-husband replied as he carried her up the stairs and to their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them.

* * *

Red Lotus Compound

In the year following their arrival from the Netherrealm, Kitana and Liu Kang had made a name for themselves as a pair of assassins, she who killed with her bladed fans, while Liu preferred his bare hands and his flames. Their time in the Netherrealm had honed that killer instinct into something that even Shao Kahn could fear...if he was still alive.

It also helped that they still retained the ability to conjure portals, a technique that Quan Chi had learned from them. Jade had showed them how to open portals within this realm, lest they would accidentally open a portal back to Earthrealm, and given what they had learned from Johnny and Sonya, attracting any further attention from Raiden would be a fatal mistake.

They became known by their signature kills: Kitana by leaving a corpse with their hands severed and their head neatly tri-sected, while Liu left his target with numerous broken bones from the waist up.

When Kitana was an assassin under Shao Kahn, she had her own personal code of honor. One she passed down to Liu. Although they were contract killers, Liu and Kitana refused to murder children and defenseless people.

She wasn't afraid of kombat. She wasn't afraid of dying. But the one thing that scared her was intimacy.

Sure she and Liu kissed and even made out, but going 'all the way' terrified her more than anything in her long life, especially after what had happened to Jade. Liu knew what had happened to Jade, as Kitana had told him of the event following her brutally killing the pimp.

Since then, she had kept her distance. She didn't had to worry about her growing desire for Liu as a revenant. Now, her desire for the former Shaolin terrified her.

Which is why she was hiding behind the door inside the bedroom, naked, the room itself bathed in candlelight. Under the excuse of retiring early for the night, Kitana had left Liu as he meditated in the courtyard.

Kitana knew his schedule like the blades of her fans. He would arrive in less than two minutes. And she was a torrent of emotions. One side wanted to jump on him, while the other wanted her to run.

Kitana's heart began to beat even harder. Liu was approaching their room...and her. She closed her eyes, willing her beating heart to calm down.

She was barely able to do so when Liu walked past her, him calling her name, but stopping to take in the scene before him.

First, Kitana closed the door behind her. Then she walked behind Liu, ensnaring her arms around his muscular torso, pressing her body against his, holding him in place.

"Kitana...?"

"The one thing that scares me more than what I'm doing...is losing you," Kitana said. "As a revanant, I never gave such intimacy a single thought. Now...the idea excites me as well as scares me..."

"Because of Jade?" Liu asked.

"Yes. I've never been with a man," Kitana confessed.

A ten-thousand-plus year-old virgin? That's new.

"You're in the same boat with me. I've never had sex either," Liu admitted. "Shaolin Monk, remember? I never thought of sex as a revenant myself." He gently undid Kitana's hold on him, allowing himself to turn around. He looked at the Edenian, whose face was crimson as his headband.

She was looking away, either embarrassed or ashamed.

"Kitana...look at me."

Slowly, Kitana looked at him.

"I'm scared too," Liu admitted. "We can see this as a learning experience. For the both of us."

Kitana smiled. "Then let us both become stronger."

Liu was aware that she was guiding him to the bed. "Stronger both in mind and in body," he said before kissing her with an intensity that even he didn't know existed within him.

Then, they both fell to the bed.

* * *

Hours later...

The old adage in regards to make-up sex was indeed true, Johnny realized. It really was the best sex. Not even fighting in Mortal Kombat could give him and Sonya such a thrill. It was as if they both shared a keg of Red Bull laced with pure Colombian cocaine.

Sex may cause some problems and develop some hitches down the road, but it was also good at reminding them that there's nothing worth fighting for more.

The former action star and the recently-promoted Sergeant were side-by-side in his bed, trying to catch their breath after the hours-long marathon of sex, starting from the entryway and ending in his bedroom, exhausted from stress and the fleeting sense of relief lovemaking had provided. Their remaining clothes were strewn along the floor.

Johnny had taken her up against the bedroom door. Then Sonya threw him to the bed. Then they broke the bed. At least their room was soundproof. This was another thing that Sonya had missed about her ex-husband.

"So..." Johnny panted, looking at the ceiling. "You figured since the portal knocked off about thirty years from you, you'd give your new body a test drive, huh?"

"Why drive when it's more fun to be driven?" Sonya also panted, also looking at the ceiling, blonde hair splayed along the pillow. "Your words, Johnny. Not mine."

"You are a horrible, horrible woman. Last time you jumped on me like this, Cassie was conceived." Johnny chuckled. "You...are something else, Sergeant Blade. Keeping Cassie at the Institute just to jump on my bones...very irrational for the former commander of S-F."

"But very rational for a sane woman who's been without sex for several years."

"Figured that you had your share of guys knocking down on you door after we split," Johnny said.

"Had a couple," Sonya admitted. "And they all had the same problem."

"Which is...?"

"They weren't you, Johnny."

"Not that I'm complaining." Johnny chuckled. He rolled onto his side, propping his head up on one arm so he could look at her, Sonya doing the same, now facing him. "We should break up more often, if the sex is going to be this good," he said as he ran one hand along the side of her body. "Still as flexible as I remember. You've been continuing your Yoga stretches in your spare time?"

"Funny. You're still a stamina freak," Sonya rebuked. "I think Cassie gets that from you."

"Not like you're complaining," Johnny said as Sonya snuggled closer to him, allowing him to kiss her forehead. "Honestly...I actually miss this. Being like this. Just you and me. We didn't have to worry about Mortal Kombat or anything else."

"I know. I also remember that the last time you offered to share your bed, I slept on the floor."

"I remember. That, and you said that we were wrong for each other from the very start. Was that under duress?"

"I guess. Cassie and Jacqui had been kidnapped, and..."

She was silenced when Johnny kissed her. "Sonya Blade...shut up."

After a round of tonsil hockey, Sonya broke off the kiss and smiled evilly. "You won the first round, but there's no way in hell you're gonna win again."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Always."

"Do your worst, babe."

"Famous last words, Cage. Famous last words."

* * *

It had been their first time. But as Liu had said, it was a learning experience, knowing what gave Kitana pleasure. Her training as an assassin also involved seduction. Usually, that meant stripping naked and while the bumbling fool thought he was going to lay with a whore, he ended being made a head shorter.

It was probably the only time Kitana had given a silent thanks to her stepfather for making her go through seduction training.

For both the former Shaolin and the former assassin, it was as if a great weight had been lifted off their shoulders.

They laid in bed, naked, Liu pressing up against Kitana's backside. A lazy smile had spread across the Edenian's face. She had heard the stories about how...small most Asian men were. Thank the Elder Gods that Liu was anything but.

"Did I hurt you?" Liu asked, his voice breaking through the haze.

"No. You didn't," Kitana replied. "Are you sure you haven't been with a woman before?" she asked in a sly tone.

"Are you sure that you were pure before tonight?" he replied.

"In regards with laying with a man, yes. But we both know that I haven't been pure in a very long time." Kitana turned and kissed Liu softly on the lips. "You are mine, Liu Kang. Mine."

"As you are mine," Liu replied. "I love you, Kitana."

At that, Kitana chuckled softly.

Now, Liu was puzzled. "What?"

"In all the years we've known each other, that is the first time you said that to me," Kitana replied. She caressed the side of his face. "I love you too, Liu Kang."

Liu smiled and he pulled Kitana closer. For the moment, nothing else mattered.

They both were still smiling as they fell asleep.

* * *

Morning.

Inside the bedroom of their home, the couple slept. Both were still naked, drawing on the other's body heat for warmth. Johnny was spooning Sonya, his body pressed up against her backside, one arm wrapped protectively around her torso. Johnny woke up first. He was greeted with the sight of his lover snoring gently, a small smile creeping on his face. The former actor pulled his lover close, burying his head into the crook of her neck, taking in a deep breath of her scent. It was this act that had awaken Sonya.

A lazy smile slowly spread across her face. "You know...I think you're right as to how we made Cassie," she breathed. "Us fucking like rabbits all over the house."

"Good morning to you too," Johnny replied. "So...do we stay in bed, or pick up Cassie?"

"I think Xavier can handle our daughter for the weekend," Sonya replied. "Hiding out here for the weekend sounds very attractive." She turned around so that she could face Johnny. "We still need to 'catch up' on the years missed."

"Last night wasn't good enough for you?" he asked, that annoying smirk back on his face. "So you're admitting defeat, General?"

Johnny found himself pinned to the bed, Sonya on top of him, hands pressed down into his shoulders. "I have not begun to fight, Johnny," she replied.

"Staying in bed it is," Johnny said, reversing their positions, pinning Sonya underneath him.

It was then, Sonya did something that caught him off guard.

"Marry me."

Johnny blinked. "What?"

"You heard me, Cage," Sonya said. "I said 'marry me.'"

Johnny got off of Sonya and sat on the edge of the bed. Sonya assumed a sitting position behind and to the side of him,

planting a kiss on his shoulder. "This is unexpected, coming from the woman who said that the first time was punishment enough."

Sonya shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I'm a sucker for punishment. Plus no one else can stand me like you. And seeing as how we're literally refugees from Earthrealm, we need each other more than ever, as does Cassie."

"You do realize that if we do this, I'm not letting you go, right?"

Sonya rested her head on Johnny's shoulder. "I wouldn't have it any other way. So...what do you say?"

Johnny sighed. "I'll marry you. When do you want to do this?"

"Today."

Johnny cocked an eyebrow. "Wow. You work fast, Sonya."

Sonya slapped his shoulder. "Shut up, Cage. As much as you piss me off, there's no other person I'd want at my back."

Johnny had considered replying with a witty (and lewd) remark, but held his tongue.

Sonya took notice. "Wow. You actually kept your mouth shut. I'm impressed."

"Oh, shut up, woman," Johnny said. "So how do you want to do this?"

"Courtroom wedding, of course."

"Witnesses?" posed Johnny.

"Aside from Cassie? I guess we can see if Xavier or McCoy can come," Sonya replied.

Johnny nodded. "Cassie's gonna be happy once she finds out about this."

"I know. And you should be too, since I'm so merciful in giving you a second chance," Sonya said, her tone being one of amusement.

"Merciful isn't in your vocabulary, Sergeant Blade," Johnny replied. "Or mine, for that matter."

Sonya pouted. "You're no fun."

Johnny responded with a peck to his soon-to-be wife's lips. "Time to greet the morning if we want to get this done, babe. You can get another shot at the title later on tonight."

Sonya licked her lips. "In that case, you're on."


	6. OMAKE: The Exiled Kombatants' Profiles

**OMAKE! MORTAL KOMBAT VS MARVEL UNIVERSE**

 **Part One: THE EXILED KOMBATANTS' PROFILES**

UPDATE! This is Part One of the bios regarding the Exiled Kombatants. As the story progresses, I will update with another series of bios. The next batch will be of the Marvel Heroes (the main ones in the story). Plus some of the costumes have some interesting references.

 **I. The Cage Family**

 **JOHNNY CAGE**

Background: Johnny Cage wasn't always known as the world's top-ranking martial arts champion and Chairman of Cage Incorporated, a corporate entity whose power and influence rivals that of Stark Enterprises. He was a Hollywood action star and Raiden's chosen champion. In the aftermath of Shinnok's second defeat at the Sky Temple, Johnny discovers that Raiden has corrupted his chosen warriors, his ex-wife among the kombatants. Left with no other choice, Johnny fled Earthrealm, along with his daughter and an unwilling Sonya. Now, nineteen years later, Johnny has remarried Sonya, and has a second daughter alongside Cassie. His somewhat peaceful life in this alternative version of Earth will soon come to a halt as shadows of his past will come back to haunt him, forcing him to take on the role of hero once again.

Costumes:

1\. The Mentor: His MKX default costume, sans jacket.

2\. Businessman Cage: Inspired by Kazuya Mishima's costume from Tekken: Blood Vengeance (black vest and slacks, gray shirt, top button undone and sleeves rolled up), expensive shoes.

3\. Champion: Johnny's MK2-inspired attire.

4\. Old School: His MK1 Costume.

 **SONYA A. BLADE**

Background: Beautiful and tough-as-nails, Sonya Blade's military career spans nearly forty years, both in Earthrealm and here in this new Earth. Rising to the rank of General in the Army back in Earthrealm, Sonya's ambition and lack of communication is what drove her and Johnny Cage apart the first time. Corrupted by Raiden following Shinnok's second defeat, she was subdued by her ex-husband and daughter, and the three fled across time and space to an alternative Earth, in which she was purged of Raiden's corruption. Given a second chance with her ex-husband and daughter, Sonya takes it, even going as far as to marrying Johnny a second time becoming a mother to their second daughter, Ravenna Cage. Now in command of the Army's Tactical Response Unit, Sonya prepares for the day in which Raiden and his corrupted champions will come and track them down.

Costumes:

1\. Special Forces: Her default costume from MKX. The golden braid has been replaced by a silver one, and the hat is absent.

2\. Sergeant Blade: Her Major Blade costume from MKX.

3\. Semi-Casual: Her default costume from Deadly Alliance

4\. Formal Khaki Uniform: Inspired by Colonel Guile's AN khaki uniform seen in Street Fighter.

 **CASSANDRA C. CAGE**

Background: The elder daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, Cassandra Carlton Cage is a former sergeant and squad leader in an elite group of kombatants formed by her father. Directly responsible for not only saving Earthrealm, but also her father's life, Cassie fled Earthrealm alongside her parents in order to avoid being corrupted by Raiden. Upon arriving in this alternative Earth, Cassie de-ages from an adult to a six-year-old, while her parents lose thirty years of aging. A First Lieutenant in her mother's Tactical Response Unit, Cassie is also a powerful mutant, with the powers of telepathy, having been mentored by Professor Xavier in her youth, Cassie will use her powers to defend her family. Despite her accomplishments, she is not only haunted by the loss of her teammates, but also her murdering Shujinko. Her fighting and leadership abilities soon draw the attention of Avengers Commander Steve Rogers – Captain America – who seeks to recruit her into SHIELD.

Costumes:

1\. Casual: Inspired by Jennifer Mui's Sleeveless Costume from Mercenaries 2 (red tanktop, sleeveless dark brown jacket, zipped halfway, black cargo pants and boots). Her dual Desert Eagles are now in a pair of hip holsters, rather than behind her back. The undercut hairdo is gone, her hair still short (ala Anya Stroud's short hairdo).

2\. Endurance: Same as her original Endurance costume, save that she loses the jacket, and the customized track pants in lieu of more traditional track pants (black with white trim). The Phoenix tattoo is visible on her back.

3\. Sergeant Cage: Her default costume from MKX.

4\. Ikari Commando: Inspired mostly from Leon Heidern's KOF 13 costume (no grenades, but still armed with her Desert Eagles) She has added a beret with her rank to the costume.

 **RAVENNA CAGE**

Background: The 18-year-old heiress to Cage Incorporated, Ravenna Carlton Cage is the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. Named after the Italian town where her parents spent their honeymoon, Raven grew up, knowing about the exploits of her parents and older sister. An academic genius, Raven graduated high school at fifteen and earned her college degree at seventeen. Like her beloved elder sister, she too, is a telepath, her power matching that of Cassie's own. Also, like Cassie, she is just as sharp-tongued as her father and just as determined as her beloved mother. When her family's past returns with a vengeance, Raven joins her parents and elder sister in combating an old foe...whilst fighting alongside her family's old enemies.

Costumes:

1\. Brawler: Inspired by Sonya's costume in the first film (black tanktop, shorts and boots). Her hands are taped up with boxing tape. The Phoenix tattoo is also visible.

2\. The Professional: Inspired by Vice and Mature's Elle Driver-esque business suits seen in King of Fighters.

3\. Sand Crawler: Rey's Costume from The Force Awakens

 **II. The Red Lotus Society**

 **LIU KANG**

Background: Shaolin Warrior. Champion. Revenant. Emperor. Liu Kang has been all of the above. Originally Raiden's chosen champion, Liu Kang's life came to a violent end when he and Raiden came to blows over how to respond during Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm. His soul claimed and transformed into a revenant by Quan Chi, Liu Kang spent over two decades in the Netherrealm, until both he and Kitana were taken from the Netherrealm by a resurrected Jade, and brought back to life. Rather than return to the Shaolin, Liu Kang is now an assassin, having formed the Red Lotus Society - a clan of assassins and warriors - alongside Kitana. While Liu is mistrustful of the Cage family, that is dwarfed by his intense hatred of Raiden. So much so that the two former champions will reunite in order to face a common threat.

Costumes:

1\. Red Lotus: His Default Costume from MKX.

2\. Old School: His MK2 costume, with a red tanktop.

3\. Revenant Emperor Armor: Liu dons his Emperor Armor (he's still alive, mind you)

4\. Revenant Glamour: Liu's Revenant Appearance (an enchantment used by Kitana)

 **KITANA**

Background: The daughter of Edenia's last king, Jerrod and Queen Sindel, Kitana was raised by Edenia's conqueror, Shao Kahn. Originally loyal to what she thought was her father, Kitana rebelled upon discovering Shang Tsung's experiments which resulted in Mileena's creation. One of several warriors who had died during Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, her soul was claimed and transformed into a revenant by Quan Chi. Following the demise of the necromancer and Shinnok's defeat, Kitana had ruled the Netherrealm alongside Liu Kang before she was taken from the hellish realm by Jade. Her soul and life restored, Kitana returned to work as an assassin, forming the Red Lotus Society alongside Liu Kang. Like her lover, she mistrusts the Cage family. But when a longtime friend of hers is slain by an old foe thought long since dead, Kitana must join forces with the Cage family in order to gain her revenge.

Costumes:

1\. Assassin: Her Shaolin Monks costume, but with her hairstyle from her MKX default costume.

2\. Vengeance: A hybrid of her Revenant and Empress Costumes. Kitana wears the gauntlets from her Revenant Costume with the Empress Costume. She is also unmasked.

3\. Classy: A black cheongsam dress with blue rose imprints. Hair is still done up in her default style.

4\. Revenant Glamour: Kitana's Revenant Appearance (an enchantment used by her)


	7. Side Story 1: Date Night, Part One

**Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe Side Story: Date Night, or how Johnny and Sonya Met the Avengers**

 **Part One**

Note: Sonya's evening dress is modeled after Snow White's wedding dress seen in Fables No.50.

The Cove – San Francisco, California

Sixteen years after the their arrival from Earthrealm.

If there was one thing that Sonya Blade hated in regards to her husband, it was admitting that he was right.

Fortunately, he didn't lord it over her like most men when they win the argument with their significant other. That annoying smirk that he would give made her want to smack if off his face, if she didn't find it sexy. Honestly, she'd prefer him lording his victory over her.

Even when they lived in Earthrealm, they had been diametric opposites, their respective occupations being more than obvious to the fact. When Cassie was born, Sonya knew that she had to get back in shape in order to get back to work. While Johnny enjoyed Tai Chi, Sonya, for some reason, couldn't get into it.

So he suggested Yoga classes, as a friend of his ran a class. When Sonya had objected, saying that she didn't want to hang around 'wives of celebrities,' Johnny had reassured her that the woman who ran the class was someone Sonya would like – ex-military, and married, the class mostly women.

Sure enough, Sonya grew to love the class. Even after their first divorce, she continued to attend the classes. And now, sixteen years after their flight from Earthrealm, she continued to go through the exercises, as it kept her limber.

The Cove – the nickname that Johnny had given to the family home – was empty. Cassie and Ravenna were out spending the day together, Cassie having recently accepted a commission into the Army, and Ravenna was in the final stages of getting her college degree, and Johnny had left an hour and a half earlier, saying that he had gotten a call from the office, leaving Sonya alone.

She was outside on the backyard patio deck, barefoot, hair tied in her usual braid, dressed in a black tanktop and her favorite pair of black track pants, stretching, and has been for the past fifty minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet, and of the surf breaking on the breeze.

Then, her husband came back home.

"Now there's a sight I'd never get tired of," Johnny's voice said from the open doorway leading to the house.

Sonya mentally groaned, but continued to stretch. "What do you want, Cage?" she demanded.

"My hands all over you, baby," he replied.

"You're gonna get my foot up your ass if you keep calling me that," Sonya threatened.

"And you haven't did it yet. Now behave or else you won't get your present that I had worked so hard in having made for you."

Sonya stopped stretching and stood up. Turning to her husband, she saw that he was standing near the outdoor table, a small box resting upon it. He was dressed in casual clothes, but still had both his glasses and that annoying smirk on his face.

Sonya was torn between wanting to kiss him or slug him.

Curious, she walked over to him and looked at the box. "What's this?"

"Open it."

"Johnny, if this is one of your jokes..." Sonya began.

"Sonya...trust me. Open it."

Sighing, Sonya decide to indulge her husband. She reached over and opened the box. Looking inside, Sonya's eyes widened. Inside, were a pair of gauntlets, the same ones she wore. Only this time, these were grey, and instead of one barrel, there were two, slightly smaller and side-by-side.

"When you shorted out your old pair, I took them to the office," Johnny explained as Sonya ran her fingers along the gauntlets. "Yes, I have copies of your gauntlet schematics locked away at the office. I had the eggheads over at the Science division to look them over and repair them. Go on. Check 'em out."

Sonya picked one up and held it in one hand. It was about the same weight as her old gauntlets.

"Metal's a silicon-based alloy based off of adamantium," Johnny explained. "Lightweight, but not as heavy. So you can take a fall, bang it up against the wall, submerge it in water and get it shot at, and it won't take damage. It's got all your favorite toys still in place, including your beloved garrote wire."

Sonya put it on and balled her fist. It felt good. She reached inside and grabbed the second gauntlet and put it on as well. The gauntlets softly vibrated with energy. She pulled out the hidden garrote line and tugged on it. Just as taut as she remembered. She secured the line back in its place. Punching in several keys, she summoned an attack drone, which she dispersed minutes later.

"I also added in a new feature," Johnny added. "You know the green halo exclusive to my bloodline?"

Sonya nodded.

"Act like you're cracking your knuckles."

Sonya interlaced her fingers, but Johnny shook his head and mimicked the pose – one fist into an open hand. Sonya nodded in understanding and repeated the gesture. Almost instantly, from head-to-toe, she was covered in fuchsia-colored energy.

Johnny grinned as he walked onto the beach. "Same gesture deactivates the halo. You can survive a car blowing up or a hand grenade going off at your feet. The blast will knock you back though. Best part is that it absorbs energy, allowing you to fire it back in a stronger blast."

To back up this claim, Johnny materialized two Green Fireballs in his hands. Without warning, he tossed them at Sonya in rapid succession, who had been caught unaware, but the purple halo did as it was advertized to do. It protected her. Sonya deactivated the shield and with an evil smirk, aimed both gauntlets at her husband.

Johnny knew what was about to happen and immediately summoned his own green halo.

Sonya fired off a supercharged shot with her gauntlets. Aside from making him stumble backwards several steps, the blast didn't harm her husband.

"You are an evil woman, you know that?" Johnny said as he banished the energy.

"You took a shot from Shinnok and came out just fine," his wife replied. "You knew that I was a bad girl when you married me for the second time."

"Wow. I really am a bad influence on you."

"No. You're annoying." Sonya looked at the gauntlets. Then she looked back at Johnny and smiled. "You didn't have to do this...but thanks. I really appreciate this."

"It's the little things that matter, right?" her husband replied, walking over to her.

"True. So when do you leave for New York?"

"Tomorrow. Why? You wanna come with?"

"You owe me a date night, Mr. Cage."

Johnny grinned. "That I do. I've been meaning to do that. With Ravenna finishing up school and Cassie learning the ropes of being an officer..."

"...we haven't had any time for ourselves," Sonya finished. "Not to mention my own promotion to Colonel."

"Thinking about going after those stars?" Johnny asked.

"The thought crossed my mind."

"You do realize you made Colonel because you managed to secure the contracts to the company for the Army, right?"

Sonya looked amused. "Yeah. But if I recall, it's my tech."

"And if I recall, you are the richest woman in the military for that reason."

Sonya chuckled. "At least you're using the S-F tech for the greater good, I'll give you that much." She trailed one fingertip along his arm. "When you said that you wanted to do this...become a businessman instead of going back to acting..."

"...you were shocked, right?"

Sonya nodded. "Guess that Business Admin degree you earned back in Earthrealm was good for something after all other than to wipe your ass."

"You wound me, hon."

Sonya had been surprised to find out that her husband had a college degree in Business Administration. He had paid his way through college doing stunt work, and by the time he graduated, he was already making millions. But he kept his finances in order, and ran his production company to near-perfection.

While he wasn't an actor, he played the business-savvy genius to perfection, and the people loved it. Goes to show that old habits die hard.

"You were impressed," Johnny said.

"Okay, I was impressed," Sonya admitted.

"You still am. Impressed that despite using your tech, that Rebecca and I had built Cage Inc. from the ground up." He gently pulled her closer. "You're serious about coming with me to New York City? It's ground central to all things weird."

Sonya didn't resist the closeness. "Johnny...we survived Mortal Kombat, two otherrealm invasions, fallen gods, revenants, parenthood and two marriages. I think we can handle costumed superheroes and bad guys running over the city."

"If you say so."

"So what's the plan?"

"First, seeing as how Rebecca is enjoying her time in London with her own family," Johnny replied, "I got to check on the Manhattan branch of the company. After that, is the fundraiser. Hope you got a nice dress for the event."

"I can buy one. And afterward?"

"I know a nice little Mediterranean spot in Times Square. If you don't want that, then I found the location of a barbecue joint in the same location."

Sonya snorted. "If the barbecue place isn't in Texas, I'm not eating it. The exception is Mack's in downtown, as he is from Dallas, and knows how to cook."

"You made an exception to Korean barbecue."

"It's good, that's why."

"Fine. We'll figure it out once we get there, how about that?"

"Fair enough," she replied.

* * *

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City - two days later.

Sonya was no stranger to being in the limelight. Back in Earthrealm, she accompanied Johnny to several movie premieres when in truth, she – and Johnny – would rather stay home and enjoy each other's company.

Back when they got along the first time.

With Cage Incorporated rising as a major player in the business world, Sonya was once again, thrust into the spotlight alongside her husband. Fortunately, her place of influence within the Army has guaranteed her some form of privacy, as no photographer would dare to try and sneak onto an Army base just to snap a picture of her.

At least now, as Johnny has become a businessman rather than an actor, the photographers were now more endurable. At least, in San Francisco rather than in New York.

As the event was a formal affair, Sonya and Johnny dressed accordingly; Johnny in a three-piece dark suit, the shirt grey, the necktie just as black as the rest of the suit. Sonya, on the other hand, rather than go for her formal uniform, opted for an expensive evening dress that showed off the curves in her body. Not too showy, but perfect for her frame.

Even she can afford to splurge once in a while, as she was the 'silent partner' in Cage Incorporated. But she still lived modestly, as did her husband.

The fundraiser was located inside the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, of which Johnny, thankfully, managed to reserve their suite within the same hotel.

Johnny looked at his wife. She was a perfectionist, even out of uniform. Her long blonde hair was done in a bun, no hair out of place. Aside from a bit of eyeliner, she wore no makeup. She could wear camo facepaint and Johnny would still think she was still hot. The purple eyes made her look even more sexy.

Johnny retrieved his shades and slipped them on his face. "You look amazing."

Sonya looked down at her dress. "Better enjoy this Cage, as I don't plan on dressing up anytime soon once this is over."

"You wanted to come with."

"I know." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for the compliment, though."

"Thank you for coming along with me."

Sonya grinned. "And let some tramp throw themselves at your feet if you go stag? I don't think so. You're mine, Cage."

"Possessive much, babe? And here, I thought you trusted me after all the years we've been together."

Sonya looped her arm with Johnny's own. "No. I just don't want no debutante or socialite who is the same age as our daughter or some ditzy divorcee flirting with my husband."

Her husband looked amused. "You do realize that Cassie's thirty-eight, right?"

Sonya rolled her eyes. "Here, she's twenty-two."

"Again," Johnny snorted. "Besides, I think it's safe to say that the world knows that you're my number one leading lady," Johnny replied, as their elevator came to a stop on their floor. With a **DING** , the elevator doors slid open.

* * *

The Grand Ballroom

The Grand Ballroom was just as big as Sonya had remembered back in Earthrealm. Four stories tall and the place was packed once and Johnny entered the ballroom, having survived the gauntlet of reporters and photographers outside.

She knew this as Johnny had shot one of his films there. The only films that in her mind were worth watching were the ones when he didn't use martial arts. Fortunately for her, Johnny wasn't insulted in the least. The fact that she liked some of his movies was good enough for him.

The elevator had placed them on the third floor. However, their table was on the ground floor, which meant they had some walking to do. Of course, Sonya cheated by removing her heels and quickly slipping them on once passing the small gauntlet of stairs, much to her husband's amusement.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Sonya muttered.

"You wanted to come. So suck it up, Colonel. It's showtime."

Once on the ballroom's main floor, Johnny and Sonya looked around the gala. It was a who's who of the rich and powerful; businessmen, politicians (Johnny hated politicians), old money, debutantes, socialites. Johnny recognized Tony Stark, the head of Stark Enterprises from a distance, with an attractive redhead at his side, living it up.

Johnny was in his element. Flashing his grin, waving at the cameras, exchanging pleasantries with the elite reminded Sonya of his acting days back in Earthrealm. While Johnny looked charismatic, Sonya preferred to look dignified. Having a husband who was a retired actor had its perks when it came to acting, as she ended up picking up some pointers from him in learning how to deal with cameras.

Of course, their arrival has drawn the attention of several of the younger women, who looked at Sonya with envy in their eyes, whispering rumors stemming from she had work done on her chest to having cosmetic surgery done on her face.

'Pot. Kettle. Black,' Sonya thought as she saw that those same women themselves had work done on their own bodies. Sonya always held a firm belief that if you have surgery done on your body to make yourself look better, then you're insecure about yourself and always questioning your self worth.

Too bad she left her gauntlets in their hotel room. Otherwise she would had sicced an attack drone on the fake debutantes and trophy wives, watching in schadenfraud-tastic hilarity as the drones used their energy weapons to stun and wound, not kill.

"Colonel Blade?"

Sonya turned her head. A blonde woman, younger than Sonya herself, clad in a formal Air Force officer's dress uniform with skirt, walked over to the couple. The silver oak leaves on her uniform identified her with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Sonya recognized the woman immediately. "Carol? What are you doing here?"

Carol Danvers shrugged her shoulders. "Somehow, I was invited by that idiot," she said, pointing to Tony. "Colonel Rhoades was to attend, but he backed out. So Stark invited me instead. You?"

"My husband owes me a date night," Sonya replied. "With Ravenna graduating from college and Cassandra fresh out of officers' school, we hardly have any time for ourselves."

"That's right. I heard that Cassie accepted a commission," Carol said. "Congratulations. So, do I still call you 'Colonel,' or...?"

"Sonya's fine," Sonya said. "I'm out of uniform." She noticed the rank on Carol's shoulders. "You made lieutenant colonel?"

Carol nodded. "Yup. One of the youngest in the Air Force."

"Congratulations."

"Don't get used to seeing her like this, Danvers," Johnny said, butting in. "Knowing her, she'd probably burn the dress once she's out of it."

That earned him a sharp elbow into his side from his wife. "Ow."

"Since you're here, we really need to catch up on past events," Carol said. She glanced at Johnny. "That is, if your husband doesn't mind me stealing you for the next few minutes."

Sonya turned to Johnny, who shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind. Go on. Have fun."

"Thanks." With a peck on the lips, Sonya and Carol strolled off to an empty table, the colonel and the captain catching up on old times.

"Wow," a male voice said from behind Johnny. "I don't know if I should sympathize with you or feel sorry that another woman stole your wife."

The voice – thankfully – wasn't that of Tony Stark. But it did have a hint of amusement within it. Johnny turned around. A blond man stood behind him, dressed in a business suit, blue eyes showing humor, but as Johnny noticed from behind his shades, he had the form of a fighter, despite trying to act casual.

"Even I have to indulge my my wife sometimes," Johnny replied. "Especially when it comes to things military-related. Then again, I knew the risks when she decided to join the military." He looked at Sonya, who was seated at a table chatting it up with Carol. "Seeing her happy makes it worthwhile. It's the little things in life that makes her smile."

"You're full of surprises for a man known as the 'King of San Francisco,'" the man said. He extended his hand. "Danny Rand, CEO of Rand Corporation."

"Johnny Cage, Chairman of Cage Incorporated," Johnny replied, shaking his hand.

"And reigning martial arts champion for the past sixteen years," Danny noted. "I saw your last fight in Seattle. Pretty impressive."

"Thanks."

"Well, Stark and my buddy Luke doesn't seem to think so," Danny replied. "Funny enough is that Luke has the same last name as you. I've seen you fight and you can't fake moves such as those."

Johnny snorted. "Yeah, well, try telling that to the press."

"You'd let the press get to you?"

"I got thicker skin. You should see what the tabloids say about my wife."

Danny still had the amused look on his face. "I've read some of it. Don't believe none of it. Although my personal favorite was that she regularly undergoes Botox treatments and has breast implants."

Johnny chuckled. "I can assure you that not only she does not do Botox, but her body is one hundred percent natural, breasts included. Of course, she'd slap a reporter as soon as she heard them say that. 'Don't mess with Texas,' and all that."

Danny grinned. "Well, damn. You made me fifty bucks, Cage."

"Eh?"

"I'm on speaking terms with Tony Stark, and we had a bet on where your wife was originally born," Rand explained, shrugging his shoulders. "We heard her speak, and caught the southern accent. He said Mississippi. I said Texas."

"Austin, to be precise," Johnny said. He tilted his head to the side. "You're a martial artist as well."

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "How can you tell?"

Johnny grinned. He had to give it to Danny. He had quite the poker face, but the eyes showed surprise at Johnny's claim. "Trade secret. You should try taking up Tai Chi. Keeps you from being tense most of the time."

"With the people I work with and deal with on a regular basis, you'd sympathize."

"Try raising a sister, a kid out of wedlock and another kid, and running a business. It's a miracle that I'm still sane. Fighting allows me to vent. Even rich guys like me get bored too."

"You and Stark should get along just fine then," Rand said.

Johnny scoffed. "Are you kidding me? Stark inherited his company. I built my from the ground up with help from my sister."

"Careful, Cage," Rand warned. "I, too, inherited my father's company."

"Only difference is that you're not so full of yourself as Stark is," the former actor pointed out.

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I concede that point to you. How'd you guess that coming from me?"

"I read people very well," Johnny replied. "It's a Cage specialty."

It was here, a friendship between two heroes – one a warrior of K'un Lun and the other, an exile from Earthrealm – was born.

* * *

Tony Stark watched as Danny talked with Johnny Cage.

The Iron Avenger had originally dismissed Cage Incorporated, deeming it to be an upstart company against such established companies such as the Rand Corporation, Oscorp Industries, and Stark Enterprises, even expecting to buy it out within the first five years of its inception. But, in the sixteen years since, even Tony was surprised as to how Cage Incorporated has grown to rival even his own company, starting from a software firm to the powerhouse that was known today.

While Stark Enterprises had defense contracts with the Air Force, Cage Incorporated had its own defensive contracts with the Army, thanks to in part due to Sonya's marriage to Johnny himself. The Army secured a contract for attack drones and clean energy research, of which Sonya herself played a critical role in securing.

The head of Stark Enterprises had been keeping tabs on the Cage family, as well as watching the steady rise of Cage Incorporated with great interest. Clean energy research, scientific and biomedical research, financial support, and software design just to name a few.

Even Tony had seen the attack drones when Stark Enterprises and Oscorp were competing for the Army contract, and had to admit that they were radically advanced to the point that they were scary. The clean energy research was the icing on the cake. So much so that Osborn was actively trying to buy Cage Incorporated out.

So far, Johnny said no.

The redhead nudged him. "Is that him?" she asked.

Stark nodded. "That's him, all right. Johnny Cage, Chairman of Cage Incorporated and current martial arts champion."

Natasha Romanoff sized both Johnny and his wife up with a critical eye. "I was expecting someone taller, to be honest." She glanced over to Sonya and Carol, seated at a table, chatting away. "His wife?"

Stark nodded. "Colonel Sonya Blade, Army. I almost didn't recognize her out of uniform."

"I'd be wary around Cage if I were you."

"How come?"

"You claim that he is a fake when it comes to martial arts," the Black Widow said. "But I can tell that he nor his wife are anything but."

"Colonel Blade is a martial artist?" Stark asked.

"She moves like one," Natasha replied. "I'd watch my step around her, if I were you."

The two Avengers watched as Johnny and the man known as Iron Fist chatted. Then, a newspaper reporter showed up, and began to bombard the two men with questions, just as Sonya returned to Johnny's side, while Carol returned to her own date's table, which turned out to be a very unhappy Steve Rogers, having been gang-pressed into coming here.

"Oh well," Tony sighed. "Might as well drop by and say 'hi,'" he mused as he walked over to the couple and Danny.

"What made you decide to donate to help the childrens' hospitals here in the city?" the reporter asked.

"It was simply the right thing to do, and I pride myself on doing the right thing," Johnny replied. "As a father of two myself, any parent would do anything and everything in their power to ensure that their children would see that they are given the best medical care."

"Which explains your interest in San Francisco's health system," Tony drawled as he walked over to the two men and Sonya. He shook Danny's hand. "Danny."

"Tony," Danny responded in the pleasant tone.

Tony extended his hand to Johnny. "Johnny. Glad you decided to come."

Johnny shook it. "Tony."

To Sonya, Stark nodded his head. "Colonel Blade. You clean up well."

Sonya's eyebrow raised. "And what do you mean by that, Stark?" she asked in a saccharine tone, her purple eyes glinting dangerously.

Johnny rolled his eyes. His wife was such a hothead.

"No disrespect," Stark replied, not wanting to invoke the fury of the blonde commando. "It's just that most of the time that I see you, nine times out of ten, you're in uniform."

Sonya's eyebrow lowered and she calmed down.

"So what do you think of this little shindig, Cage?" Stark asked, turning to Johnny.

After looking around a bit, Johnny replied, "A bit too formal for my taste. I'm more of a semi-casual type of guy, as my leading lady can attest," he added, gesturing to Sonya. "That and the donation is tax-deductible."

Stark chuckled. "Out of everyone here, myself, Danny and you donated the most money to the children's hospital. Combined, we donated close to $40 billion."

"You owe me fifty bucks, by the way," Rand noted. He pointed to Sonya. "She's from Austin."

"Really?"

Sonya nodded. "Born and raised."

Stark frowned. "Dang."

Fortunately, for the couple, the fundraiser went on as painlessly as possible. Johnny, Tony and Danny were recognized by the fundraiser organizers for their charitable donations to the hospital, which meant that Johnny would have to return to New York once the renovations were done. That, however, wouldn't be for another six months.

Three hours later, the party was over and for Johnny and Sonya, the couldn't leave fast enough. Rubbing elbows with self-centered, self-righteous pompous little pedants was one past time that they did not like. Fighting Shinnok and Shao Kahn at the same time was more preferable.

But on the upside, Sonya did have fun chatting with Carol and Johnny made a new friend in Danny Rand.

* * *

Later on, at Avengers Tower.

"So...what do you think about Cage?" Stark asked once Danny entered his workshop, Stark working on fixing the tweaks in his newest Iron Man armor.

Danny took a moment to respond. "He's very modest and humble...unlike you." He ignored the stink eye that Stark was giving him. "Has a good head on his shoulders and a good woman to keep him from not doing anything reckless."

"'Tasha says that Colonel Blade is also a martial artist," Stark added.

Rand nodded. "I got the same feeling from Sonya as well. Cage guessed that I'm also a martial artist. I don't think he knows about K'un Lun."

"For a public figure, Johnny Cage is an enigma," Tony replied. "Both him and his wife."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Depends. So far, Cage or his wife hasn't set off any red flags, which means either he's good at hiding things that doesn't want to be found...or his act is indeed genuine."

"I'm surprised that you haven't started a file on him already."

Tony's response did not surprise Danny. "Oh, I did. Sonya as well. They've both been married for over fifteen years. Their eldest daughter is the product of a teenage pregnancy, and has accepted a commission into the Army. Their youngest daughter is a genius who is graduating from Stamford. And his sister's overseeing the London offices, and is happily married like her brother. Aside from several parking tickets and a couple of moving violations, nothing."

"Maybe you should stop being so paranoid, Stark."

"In our line of work, paranoia preserves."

"True. But sometimes, it can also alienate those that are innocent."

Stark sighed. "I know."

* * *

The following day...

Cage Incorporated's New York branch consisted of two five-story waterfront office buildings located along the Hudson River. The New York branch was mostly Rebecca's responsibility, but as she was still in London and unable to check on the offices there, her brother went in her place.

Cage Incorporated was classy, yet modern. But tightly disciplined thanks to Sonya's influence. There was a reason as to why Cage Incorporated was named one of the best places to work at. The pay was good, the hours flexible, and the management wasn't overbearing, but firm. Johnny believed that Cage Incorporated defined style, and the dress code was casual in order 'to promote creativity and one's identity.'

The inspection of the New York branch went off without a hitch, Johnny addressing his employees, praising them for their hard work and their devotion to the company. Sonya, having tagged along, had watched from the sidelines, rolling her eyes as Johnny spoke to his employees.

While he was no longer an actor (and hasn't been for sixteen years), Sonya couldn't help but to admit that her husband enjoyed – no, relished – the role of businessman and industrialist. The people loved and admired him here just as much back in Earthrealm when he used to act.

There was something about her husband that made people trust him, that inner strength. Sure he was a goofball, but for Sonya, despite everything, she would take Johnny Cage at her back any day when it came down to a fight...as much as he pissed her off.

Johnny listened to their grievances, their suggestions, some of them reasonable, while others were for lack of a better term, insane. Then, he was asked he following question by one of his mid-level managers:

"Oscorp Industries is looking to buy you out, or at least, merge the company with theirs. You plan on selling the company?"

Johnny shook his head. "No. Cage Industries will not be bought out by Oscorp. That, I promise you. The company is very stable, and has been for the past several years, and will continue to be stable in the future. Revenue is up and costs are down, and I would like to keep it that way."

The employees erupted in applause. Meanwhile, Mey, Johnny's Japanese-born assistant, pushed her way past the crowd and whispered into Johnny's ear, speaking in rapid-fire Japanese. Johnny's eyes narrowed slightly behind his shades, but he nodded and excused his assistant.

"Okay folks, meeting is adjourned," Johnny said. "Have a productive day."

Sonya, having picked up on Johnny's change in mood, was by his side in an instant. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Norman Osborn is here," Johnny replied. "Mey has him in one of the conference rooms down the hall. Guess he wants to talk to me personally about buying the company."

"Persistent little shit, isn't he?" Sonya sniped.

Johnny sighed. "Might as well snip this in the bud. Osborn won't quit unless I tell him no myself."

"Or tell him to fuck off," Sonya said as she followed her husband out of the office and down the hall.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Johnny asked.

"That's what I'd do," Sonya replied. "I don't trust Osborn. There's something...off about him."

"You noticed that too?" her husband replied as he and Sonya arrived at the conference room where Mey had told Osborn to wait.

Johnny pushed open the wooden doors and both he and Sonya stepped inside. There, looking dapper in his business suit, seated at the far end of the conference room (and thankfully, not at the head, which would have made Johnny very upset), sat the head of Oscorp Industries, one Norman Osborn. Mey stood opposite Osborn on the other side of the table, looking very unhappy at having to babysit the Oscorp head.

Osborn rose to his feet as Johnny entered the room, followed by Sonya. "Mr. Cage, I presume?" Osborn asked.

"You presume correctly," Johnny replied, shaking Osborn's hand. "My wife, Colonel Sonya Blade." He gestured to the chair, of which Osborn sat back down, while Johnny and Sonya sat opposite of him.

"I missed you at the fundraiser last night," Osborn said, "as I was preoccupied with other matters. I was hoping to speak with you in regards to your company."

"I'm here now. So speak your piece," Johnny said.

"Straight to the point. I like that," Osborn said, grinning. "I've watched you and your sister turn Cage Incorporated from a humble software firm to the powerhouse that it is today. Suffice to say, I am very impressed with how far you had brought your company, Mr. Cage. However, under my guidance, it can be so much more."

Johnny slid off his glasses, allowing Osborn to look into his eyes. "No."

"No?" Osborn parroted.

"No," Johnny repeated. "I'm sorry, Mr. Osborn, but Cage Incorporated is not for sale. I have worked too long and too hard to just throw it all away. Especially that I plan on handing over the reins to my chosen heir once she is old enough to run it on her own."

Sonya had expected Osborn to blow a gasket. Surprisingly, he took the refusal well.

"Well...can't say that I am disappointed by your refusal, Mr. Cage," Osborn said, "but I understand your intentions, as I expect the same from my own son." He stood up. "Mr. Cage...Colonel Blade...I thank you for your time."

Norman Osborn left the room without a single word and without incident.

"I don't think that this is over," Sonya said. "He gives off a bad vibe."

"I know," Johnny replied, putting his shades back on.. "Reminds me of Quan Chi. He hid his anger pretty well. Something tells me that we haven't seen the end of Osborn."

Little did Johnny and Sonya knew, that his words would ring true within the next couple of hours. And Johnny would agree with Sonya on one thing: sometimes, he absolutely hated being right.


	8. Side Story 1: Date Night, Part Two

**Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: In the New Avengers, the team tracks Electro down whilst in Boston, Massachusetts. I've changed that to him being several blocks away in Manhattan instead. Second, the reason why I had updated this side story so fast was because I already had this written, but I chose to split it in two in order to flesh out this second part. That and I was going to post this side story after the 19-year time skip, but decided against it. With this side story down, we can go up three more years into the main storyline (thus bringing the number to nineteen years).

I also tossed in a MKX reference. More like a Call Back in regards to Sonya.

Keen's Steakhouse

It was one of Sonya's favorite restaurants back when she was first stationed in Fort Burton years earlier. And much to her delight, the restaurant has not lost its touch when it came to its various dishes of mutton and steak.

Years ago, Johnny had to wait three days to get a reservation, as the place was usually packed. Now, he didn't need one.

This date night had long since been overdue. Aside from Ravenna finishing up her college studies, Cassie accepting a commission into the military, and Sonya having just returned from an overseas inspection tour that lasted for six months and a combat assignment that lasted for an extra three months, Johnny was looking forward for private time with his wife.

Johnny knew the risks when he married Sonya. The first time around, their marriage had imploded due to Sonya being unable to open up to him and her lack of parenting skills. This time around, Johnny knew what to expect. At least this time around, Sonya at least hired on an assistant to help with the paperwork, as she had assumed command of the Army's Tactical Response Unit shortly before Cassie's graduation.

The couple had a private table. Both were dressed semi-casual; Johnny in a buttoned-down dark grey shirt, slacks and black shoes, while Sonya was a bit more practical; she was clad in a simple white shirt, black skinny jeans, and her favorite pair of steel-toed combat boots. The boots had been a custom order back when she was General Blade. Her leather biker jacket was behind her chair.

Sonya looked at him when she caught him staring at her. "What? I got something on my face?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Spill it, Cage. What is it?"

"I've just been thinking that we've been through a lot these past...forty-plus years," Johnny said. "With me and Rebecca running the business and you climbing the ranks in the Army...I just hadn't got the time to just sit down and reflect on what's important."

"Oh?" Sonya tilted her head. "What's most important to you?"

"Our warrior princesses. And the woman seated in front of me."

"Good answer," Sonya said. "I really should be thanking you."

Johnny cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"By this time back in Earthrealm, we were already divorced. Before the Blood Code fiasco."

"Give me a rampaging supervillain any day of the week. Cassie and I still have nightmares over that."

"You? You wasn't the one who ripped a Shokan's head off his shoulders. At least Sheeva didn't raise a big stink over that."

"At least the blood magik bonded to you and you got a nice shade of purple for your eyes as a result." A pause. "I guess we still had some growing up to do, me with my ego and you with your trust and emotional issues."

Sonya played with her napkin. "I know. Despite your shallowness, you have been so patient with me. Even after we had split the first time around. You were right. We both still had some growing up to do."

"And once again, Colonel Blade agrees with me," Johnny said, smug.

Sonya rolled her eyes. "Some more than others."

"I've been meaning to ask...how did you convince Cassie to pursue a commission?" her husband asked.

"Back in Earthrealm, when Cassie told me about wanting to go into the military, I pushed her to pursue a commission. Of course, this was back when our relationship was strained. This time around, I didn't pressure her. But we did talk about it out at Land's End after she graduated high school. She had qualified for a military scholarship to West Point and she asked for my blessings."

Sonya raised one hand, cutting her husband off. "And she was right. You were right. Some wars aren't worth winning."

Johnny nodded. He took a drink from his glass of water.

"You were the favorite parent, because you were there for Cassie." Sonya paused. "I was jealous. I thought Cassie would understand what I did, putting distance between the both of you in order to protect the both of you. But the animosity was still there."

"You and Cass have gotten along better now," her husband pointed out.

"I know. I guess fleeing Earthrealm was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed me to reconnect with Cassie. Anyway, I asked Cassie if she wanted to pursue a commission, and she agreed."

"You know she's still feeling guilty over what happened."

"With Shujinko and leaving Jacqui and her team behind?" When Johnny nodded, Sonya sighed. "I know. First, it was self-doubt, of which I was partially responsible for cultivating. She opened her mind to me, when she and her team was imprisoned by Kotal Kahn. She said that despite training all her life and being capable of fighting her way out of anything, she felt like a second-rate Cage."

"Beating Shinnok's face in sure did wonders for her confidence. We all have our share of guilt, Sonya. Cassie sees the military both as a penance and redemption...as do you."

"What about you?"

"Aside from the Blood Code? Survivor's guilt. While Liu and Kitana are alive and we have an ocean separating us, the others are still revenants. Sometimes...I play back the fight with Sindel and wonder what I could have done to save more lives. Or if I was strong enough to face down Raiden once I found out about him corrupting Jax and the others, saving me and Cass for last."

"You did what you had to do, Johnny."

"I know, babe."

Sonya's comment died on her tongue due to the explosion that came from outside, the force of the blast blowing the restaurant's front door off its hinges and shattering its windows. The blast sent the former actor and his military wife tumbling to the ground.

"You okay?" Sonya asked.

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. What the fuck?!"

Sonya pulled herself to her feet, her husband following suit. Reaching inside her jacket pocket, she pulled out her gauntlets and slipped them on.

Johnny looked at his wife. "You had those with you the whole time?"

"Better to have and not need than to need and not have, dear," Sonya replied.

Fortunately, the explosion which had destroyed the door and the windows to the restaurant had not seriously injured the patrons, as the tables closest to the windows were empty, seeing as how it was nearly closing.

"Stay inside!" Sonya ordered as she and Johnny ran outside.

What awaited them was nothing short of chaos. For a moment, Johnny thought he was back in the Netherrealm War due to the carnage that was taking place around them. Cars overturned, some on fire. A city transit bus had crashed into a streetlight. And New York's finest was on the scene, guns drawn, opening fire on the source of the mayhem that was flying overhead on a glider, lobbing pumpkin-shaped bombs down on the populace, the explosions sending them flying in all directions, leaving them with various injuries.

The Green Goblin.

And he chose the worst time to wreck Johnny and Sonya's date.

Sonya's training went into overdrive. She punched in several keys on her gauntlet, summoning two attack drones, and sent them after the supervillain.

With the Goblin effectively distracted, Sonya and Johnny went about, helping the injured to safety inside the restaurant and various establishments, as the streets wasn't safe. Sonya aided the injured policement with the help of paramedics, carrying them to the steakhouse, while Johnny herded the transit bus's passengers to safety.

For the couple, some things never change. As Johnny's father once said, "If you can't do something smart, then you better damn well do something right."

* * *

Several blocks away...

Max Dillon was on the run. After breaking out some of New York's most dangerous villains out of the high-tech maximum security prison known as 'The Raft,' he knew when to get the hell out of town.

First things first, however, as he needed to make one final stop before leaving the city for good. His girlfriend, Mia, who worked as a waitress at some swank restaurant downtown. After getting her attention with a small spark of electricity, he made his way over to her, while she quickly excused herself in order to meet with him.

"Mia, let's..."

"What are you doing here?"

"Let's go."

"What?"

"We're leaving the city."

"What are you talking about, Max?"

"You and me, on a private jet, leaving all of this behind. For good. Right now."

"Max..."

The supervillain known as Electro cut her off. "Look, Mia...I...I promised you that I get you away from all this crap. And I'm trying to be a man of my word. The thing is that we don't have time to get into one of these things you'd like to get into at the moment. We can discuss this on the plane."

"Max, what are you talking about?" Mia demanded. "I've called you...haven't seen you in two weeks, and..."

"Just calm down, okay," Max pleaded. "I just came into a lot of dough. Me and you, right now can be sitting on a beach in Tahiti or Wakanda, sippin' mai-tais or those coconut drinks with the little umbrellas in them. Right now. So less talking, more walking."

"Max...what did you do?"

"We can talk about this on the plane, so let's go!" Max whispered harshly.

Mia's eyes widened in realization as she connected the dots. "My God..." She took a step back. "The outbreak at the prison..."

"Not now."

"The whole city was..." Mia blurted.

"Are you coming or not?" Max demanded.

But Mia's attention was not on him. Her attention was on the five superheroes standing behind the both of them. She took a step back. And another.

Max turned around...and his eyes widened in horror.

Standing behind him...was the team he had inadvertently brought together during the big breakout of the supervillains on The Raft.

Spider-Man. Spider-Woman. Iron Man. Luke Cage. Captain America. The New Avengers.

"Hiya, Max," Spidey greeted from his perch off a lamppost, all the while Mia scampered out of harm's way.

"SHIT!" Max cursed as he raised his hands. Lighting shot forth from his fingers as the now-panicking supervillain attempted to fry the Avengers in order for him to escape. Screw Mia, he realized, getting out of the city was now his number-one priority.

But something was wrong. He wasn't electrocuting the web-head or his friends. Once he calmed down, he saw why. Iron Man had imprisoned him in an energy barrier.

"Oh, no..." Max bemoaned. "No...nonononoo..."

"Yeah," Iron Man said as he kept up the barrier. "We did our homework, Dillon. You're finished." He then added when Max tried to break out of the barrier with his bare hands, "Yeah, I wouldn't do that."

Max yelped in pain as the barrier shocked him. "You can't do this to me! I know my rights! I want a lawyer!"

"Who hired you, Dillon?" Cap demanded. "Who'd you take?"

"Lawyer!" Max demanded.

Luke turned to Spider-Man. "Back when you used to fight him, how'd you do it?"

"Well, I'd web my hands into mitts and pound the crap outta him," Spidey replied.

Luke grinned. "Sounds like a plan. Do me up."

Max gulped as he watched his nemesis web up Luke's fists into impromptu boxing gloves. "Oh, no..."

"Open the bubble," Luke said raising his hands. "We'll see how cooperative he'll be once I use him as a punching bag."

It was then, Max Dillon did something that the Avengers didn't see coming. He passed out from the fear of being beaten seven shades of blue by the Hero for Hire.

"Okay...he was supposed to blurt out a name, not faint like a wuss," Luke said, while Spider-Woman called for a S.H.I.E.L.D. sweep-and-containment crew to pick up the passed-out villain. He turned to Spidey. "Okay...now get these off."

"Um...they don't come off," Spidey replied sheepishly.

Luke wasn't amused. "What?"

"Not for about an hour."

"What?!"

"Dude, you said web your hands. And we still don't know what we need to know."

"Question is how do we wake him up without risking a big fight on our hands?" Iron Man asked.

"Plus, he can escape via the city's electrical grid," Spidey added.

Spider-Woman had a plan as to get the name of who had hired Electro, but the explosions from several blocks down had brought that line of thought to a halt.

"Go!" she said. "I got Electro covered! I'll catch up with you later! Go!"

Cap nodded. "Okay."

While Iron Man took to the skies, Luke, Spidey and Cap boarded the Quintjet - parked several yards away - and headed for the latest disturbance.

* * *

Back with Johnny and Sonya...

Norman Osborn was very upset when Johnny Cage had refused to sell him Cage Incorporated. So he decided to vent in the only way he knew how.

By indulging himself in destroying anything and everything in his path.

But his fun was interrupted as he was forced to evade several attack drones that had materialized out of nowhere, opening fire on him using the mounted energy weapons. It took a moment for Osborn to recognize the drones as those favored by Cage Incorporated. Looking down, he spotted the cause of his ire and his wife helping the injured to safety.

Behind his mask, Osborn smiled a sinister smile as he recognized Sonya Blade and her husband. What better way to get rid of the competition than by resorting to just simply wiping them off from the face of the earth? Killing the wife was merely a bonus.

But Norman Osborn had forgotten one important thing about Sonya Blade. Those gauntlets she wore were not only for show, but also useful in summoning attack drones. The same ones that he and Stark had witnessed whilst gunning for the Army contracts.

But Norman Osborn had forgotten one important thing about Sonya Blade. Those gauntlets she wore were not only for show, but also useful in summoning attack drones. The same ones that he and Stark had witnessed whilst gunning for the Army contracts.

The Goblin was quickly reminded of them when they shot out a pumpkin bomb out of his hand, the fuse already lit. It had been a concentrated laser blast to the hand, causing him to drop the live bomb, where it harmlessly rolled into an open sewer, the explosion following soon thereafter. The second blast knocked him off his glider, sending Osborn to the pavement, where he rolled to a stop.

A NYPD squad car peeled to a stop. Two policemen stepped out, handguns drawn, and they were joined by two more "Freeze!" one of the cops shouted, aiming his gun at the Goblin, now back on his feet.

"I surrender," the Goblin said, hands raised as he walked towards the cops.

Sonya, having finished evacuating the bystanders to safety, saw the Goblin's fake surrender. "Oh, boy..." she muttered. She ran towards the action, ducking as a cop was sent flying in her direction, courtesy of Goblin's backhand.

The Goblin Formula that ran through his veins had granted Norman Osborn was solely designed to augment the human body, transforming them into super-soldiers, with the side effect of insanity being the trade-off. Johnny had seen just how dangerous the Green Goblin was, given the broken bodies of New York's finest left in his wake when they tried to stop him.

Osborn was surprised to see Sonya challenge him. But was not surprised when he caught her punch with his hand. Before he could counterattack, Sonya's booted foot smashed into his kneecap, causing him to loosen her hand and to stumble. He responded with a hard punch to her stomach, causing her to stagger, which was followed by a hard kick to the torso, knocking her back into the side of a car.

Fortunately for Sonya, her military training combined with the training from hell back in Seido had came in handy, as she was left barely winded, but the impact sure as hell hurt.

Unfortunately, that little action was witnessed by Johnny himself. One he had finished getting the people to safety, Johnny had seen Osborn's assault on his wife.

The Goblin chambered one fist back, ready to smash Sonya's head in...

...but found himself unable to, as Johnny had interlocked his arm with his. And the former actor did not look very happy.

"Nuh-uh," Johnny said. "Not the wife. Big no-no."

This was followed by Johnny flinging Osborn into an unmanned police car. He helped Sonya back to her feet. "You okay?" he asked.

Sonya nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." She looked around the carnage. "This is like the Netherrealm War all over again."

"You and I remember that quite differently," Johnny replied.

"Grr..."

The couple turned around. The Green Goblin was rising to his feet.

"Call it, Colonel," Johnny said.

"Superhuman strength, meaning he hits as hard as Jax," Sonya replied. "Brute force, no finesse, no martial arts training. Relies on those bombs of his, so we need to separate those from him"

"Plus, he ruined our date. Rules of engagement?"

"Intent to kill. No holding back."

Johnny grinned. "Just how I like it. Ready?"

"As always," Sonya replied.

The couple then charged into battle.

* * *

Danny Rand was the first to arrive to the site of the disturbance. Rand Corporation's offices were not too far from where the incident was taking place, and seeing as how Luke had his hands full with being an Avenger, the head of Rand Corporation decided to lend a hand in repelling whoever was attacking the city.

Upon arriving, Iron Fist was surprised to see the Green Goblin in a 2-on-1 match against Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. Quickly getting over his gaffe, the warrior of K'un Lun watched as the fight between the couple continued. Goblin had tagged both Johnny and Sonya with some good shots, but the couple were slowly getting the upper hand.

"Late to the party, Rand?"

Danny didn't turn around, but he recognized the guttural drawl of one James Logan Howlett. Wolverine had been the second to arrive, having left his favorite bar when news came in about the Goblin's rampage.

The Canadian mutant showed no surprise upon seeing Johnny and Sonya. He knew the both of them well, seeing as how their daughters were not only mutants, but also came up at Xavier's institute alongside Cyclops and the others. He had heard that Cassie had opted for a military career rather than become an X-Man.

"Logan," Rand greeted. "You were in the neighborhood?"

"Havin' a beer down in the Bronx," Wolverine replied. "This isn't going to end well for the Goblin."

"You sure?"

Logan nodded. "Been knowin' those two for quite some time. Their little girls are mutants – telepaths. Xavier trained 'em in how to use their powers, and Johnny and Sonya trained their girls in how to fight."

"Xavier trained them? I heard that they went to a private school, but the files were pretty vague on that," Rand said.

"Stark started a file on these two?"

Iron Fist nodded. "All it said about their daughters was that they attended private school before switching over to public later on. Stark tried to hack into their files for more info, but ran into a firewall. Any further attempts to hack into their files were useless."

"Bet Stark didn't like that, didn't he?"

Iron Fist couldn't help but to smile. "One of the few times that Stark was left speechless."

Speaking of Iron Man, he was the next to arrive, landing next to Iron Fist. If was fortunate that no one could see Tony Stark's face, seeing as how his flabbergasted expression would be one photo for the papers.

Tony had dismissed Johnny as a fake. But now, seeing both him and Sonya fight the Green Goblin, he and his wife were anything but.

"Now there's something you don't see every day," Spider-Man said, having arrived along with Luke Cage and Captain America, the web-slinging superhero dangling upside down from a lamppost. "The Green Goblin getting the snot kicked out of him. And I don't feel so bad."

Luke nudged his longtime friend. "Is that Johnny Cage?"

Iron Fist nodded. "Yeah. The blond's his wife. Still think he's a fake?"

"From the way he and his wife are workin' on the Goblin? Nope. Not anymore," Luke replied.

"Seconded," Iron Man added.

Captain America, in the meantime, was watching the brawl with a critical eye. Osborn was no fighter, relying on only his brute strength, his glider and his explosives to see him through.

But as Cap saw, despite everything, the Green Goblin was outmatched. The couple moved like a well-oiled machine, not giving the Goblin a chance to recover and regroup. Whenever Osborn focused on one, the other would strike. Like Luke, Cap had thought Johnny as a fake. But now, he was seriously considering retracting that previous line of thought.

Their fighting styles were professional, yet direct. Just effective (and from the look of things, incredibly painful) strikes designed to subdue (or in the most extreme cases, cripple) the enemy.

Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel were the last to arrive, the former having left Electro in the custody of the S.H.I.E.L.D. containment crew, while the latter heard the call from the police band and arrived to see if she could help.

Carol was very much surprised to see Sonya and her husband take the fight to the Goblin. The Human-Kree superheroine herself was a martial artist, holding a black belt in kickboxing and the former Air Force champion, but even she wouldn't dare to go up against someone the likes of Sonya Blade.

Carol knew that Sonya could fight, as she had seen her fight in the past. But this, as she was witnessing, was just...well, brutal.

Norman Osborn's first mistake was assuming that Sonya wasn't a threat. That cost him when Sonya's energy blasts had caught him in the shoulder, severing his satchel that contained his bombs. He spun around, ready to attack, but was reminded that her husband was still there when he attacked from behind.

The Goblin roared in rage and spun around, lashing out in a kick that would had broken his jaw...had it connected.

The reason why it didn't connected was the fact that Johnny was doing the splits, which was followed by...

 **POW.**

Wolverine, Iron Fist and the male members of the Avengers winced in sympathy as Johnny uppercut-ed the Goblin right in the junk. This was followed by Johnny hopping back to his feet, following through with a powerful spinning back kick that knocked the Goblin a complete 180 degrees, to which he was facing Sonya, her garrote wire drawn and pulled taut.

Wrapping it around the Goblin's throat, she flipped up-and-over, twisting the Goblin's back to the point that she and Johnny both heard something break. She followed with a reverse headbutt, cracking his skull, right before flipping the supervillain over her, causing the Goblin to land head-first onto the pavement.

Spider-Woman winced from watching the impact. "Ouch."

"Yeah, no kidding," Carol said.

"If only I had some popcorn," Spidey said. "This is too fun to watch."

The Goblin was down, but not out. It was a lesson that Johnny himself had learned the hard way years earlier, to never turn one's back on an enemy unless they were unconscious. The last time he turned his back on an enemy, he almost died at the hands of Jax's revenant form.

Sure enough, despite the vicious assault he had endured at the hands of the couple, the Goblin staggered to his feet.

"Persistent, isn't he?" Johnny asked.

"Time to finish this," Sonya replied.

"Couldn't agree with you more."

 **CRACK.**

Osborn's head rocked violently from the impact of Johnny's fist bouncing off his skull, the force of the blow causing him to turn a complete 180 degrees...and right into Sonya's own incoming fist...

 **CRACK.**

...which was followed by Johnny's spinning back kick to the skull...

 **CRACK.**

...and Sonya matched it with a reverse roundhouse to the jaw...

 **CRACK.**

...the hard kick to the back propelled the Goblin towards Sonya...

 **CRACK.**

...right into a spinning backhand...

 **CRUNCH.**

...Johnny's fist met Osborn's breastplate, while Sonya's fist was planted into his back...

 **WHAM.**

...the double spinning back kick landed in the exact same spots that they had preciously struck, the Avengers wincing from the impact...

 **CRUNCH.**

...the second kick cracked the Goblin's ribs in the front and in the back.

 **WHAM.**

Johnny grabbed the Goblin by the front of his shirt and slammed his elbow into his face, causing the villain to stagger...

...just as Sonya's legs ensnared around his legs, Sonya having dove into a handstand. Osborn found himself being flung across the street, landing in a heap...

...right next to his satchel of explosives.

Spidey's Spider-Sense went haywire as he saw the Goblin scramble to his satchel, and pulled out a pumpkin bomb. "Heads up!" he shouted.

Johnny and Sonya spun around, just in time to see the Goblin set the fuse and with a yell, threw the explosive, where it landed several feet in front of the couple.

 **BOOM.**

The pumpkin bomb detonated, taking a police car with it.

Had it not been for the fact that he had been laughing his ass off despite the pain, Norman Osborn would had noticed that Johnny and Sonya had survived the explosion.

When the Goblin's pumpkin bomb rolled to a stop, Sonya activated her personal shield, while Johnny did the same by summoning his own green halo, with a mere second before the bomb detonated.

The gathered heroes, looking to avenge the lives thought lost to Osborn's madness, instead saw that Johnny and Sonya had survived the blast, the former covered in head-to-toe with green energy, while the former was covered in purple.

Osborn was still laughing his ass off, having made it back to his feet...

...only for his laughter to die in his throat as he finally took notice of the green and purple-tinted forms of Johnny and Sonya as they stepped out of the inferno. Johnny looked amused, while Sonya looked pissed. First, her date night was ruined, and second this asshole tried to kill both her and Johnny.

Had she not been so mad, she would had been impressed with her gauntlets, which had done as Johnny had advertized. The energy shield not only protected her, but also charged up her gauntlets.

Iron Man was scanning them both with his armor. "Interesting. The energy surrounding them protected them from the explosion," he noted.

The energy shield now dispersed, Sonya took aim, and fired at the Goblin's kneecaps.

'And it charges Colonel Blade's gauntlets,' the Iron Avenger mentally added.

Once the villain was left screaming over his knees being shattered from the powerful blast, Sonya vented out her frustrations on the helpless Goblin, beating the ever living tar out of the bad guy.

Johnny decided to let her vent and casually walked over to the group of heroes. "I'd think she's pretty pissed about our date night being ruined," he mused.

"How...?" Ms. Marvel began.

"...did we survive a point-blank blast like that?" finished Johnny, all the while Sonya was methodically and repeatedly punching the Goblin in the face. He raised his arm, showing off the sportswatch he wore on his wrist. But as he pressed a button on it, it was anything but a sportswatch, as he was once again covered in head-to-toe in green energy.

"Cage Incorporated technology at its finest," Johnny replied, before banishing the green halo yet again.

 **CRUNCH.**

Ms. Marvel winced, as did Spider-Woman and Spider-Man. Sonya had just driven her knee into the Goblin's jaw, causing him to fall flat on his back.

"She's not going to kill him, is she?" Cap asked as Sonya began to repeatedly stomp on the Goblin's head with her booted feet.

"Nah. She's not that merciful," Johnny replied.

Luke, in the meantime, noticed Sonya having stopped stomping on Osborn's head. "Um...guys...?"

Johnny and the heroes watched as Sonya walked over to his lower body, the blond colonel kicks open the Goblin's legs and steps in between them. Johnny had a very good idea as to what was going to happen. "Wow. She really was pissed about our date night being ruined."

"Is she..." Iron Fist began, pointing at Sonya.

Johnny nodded. "Yup."

"Is that even legal?" Luke seconded.

This time, Johnny shook his head. "Nope."

"She wouldn't," Spidey said.

"She can, and will," Johnny replied.

Meanwhile, Osborn, in his haze, realize what Sonya had planned, as she raised one booted foot into the air to which she was performing a perfect vertical split. "No...NO!"

 **CRUNCH.**

The high-pitched scream that came from the gullet of Norman Osborn was heard from a city block as Sonya slammed one booted foot into his family jewels. The hard twist to his crotch courtesy of Sonya's foot had made his voice go even higher. Save for Johnny and the Avengers, all the men who witnessed this event winced from the brutal impact, and some even covered their crotches with one or both hands. Some of the cops who had witnessed this passed out.

The male heroes' reactions were varied, but they were more or less thinking the same thing.

"Ooh..." Tony winced from behind his faceplate.

"..." Cap was silent, but his shield was held in front of his midsection, effectively covering his crotch.

Spidey found a nearby trashcan and after pulling his mask up halfway, proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach. Such a shame, as MJ had cooked him dinner.

Logan was impressed. "Not bad."

Iron Fist's face twisted in agony. "That hurt even me."

"Sweet Christmas..." Guess who?

Osborn, thankfully, passed out from the pain, foam coming out of his mouth. Johnny chuckled as he walked over to his wife.

Almost immediately, Sonya snapped her head towards her husband. She calmed down when she saw it was him. Standing alongside his wife, he looked down at the unconscious Green Goblin. "Congratulations. You've been Caged." To his wife, he added, "Nice work. You make me proud."

"Shut up, you."

Johnny's fingers gently grabbed Sonya's chin, allowing him to tilt her head to the side. There was a bruise on her cheek. "You okay?"

Sonya held up her hand. "Hyper-extended my wrist. You?"

"Think one of my ribs are cracked. I'll live."

The metal tether that ensnared Goblin's unconscious body had made the couple jump back in surprise. Looking up, Johnny and Sonya both saw that the tether came from the Goblin's glider. Pulling its master off the ground, the glider made a fast getaway.

Turning around, Johnny and Sonya found themselves face-to-face with the New Avengers, Iron Fist and Ms. Marvel, who approached them. Being married to a career military woman, Johnny had an inkling of an idea as to what was going to happen next.

"Mr. Cage. Colonel Blade." Cap's voice was professional. "Please come with us."

Johnny and Sonya exchanged worried looks. Then they turned back to Cap and the others. "Lead the way," Sonya said in a resigned tone.

* * *

The Helicarrier.

Maria Hill was a hard woman to impress, and rightfully so.

With Nick Fury's disappearance, she was now Acting Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. But, from her place aboard the Helicarrier, she had watched as Johnny and Sonya dismantle the Goblin. While most of the male members of S.H.I.E.L.D. winced upon seeing Sonya stomp the Goblin's nuts into his stomach, Maria's response was to cock an eyebrow from the impact.

Both Johnny and Sonya were aboard the Helicarrier, Maria having requested (make that demand) their presence onboard. They both were in the medical bay, getting their injuries treated...whilst under heavy guard, Sonya's gauntlets and Johnny's watch having been confiscated and turned over to the eggheads for them to look over the tech.

Tony Stark was also interested in the tech. He had suspected that the attack drones were just the tip of the iceberg. But a personalized energy shield that can withstand a grenade blast really made him curious.

Speaking of Stark, he was looking over one of Sonya's wrist gauntlets, scanning it with his suit, and was still doing so when Maria entered the lab. "Well?"

"The tech is interesting," one of the scientists replied. "Who'd knew that Cage Incorporated had such wonderful toys. They can give Stark's tech a run for the money."

Maria walked over and picked up the second gauntlet, turning it over in her hand. Curious, she slipped it on over her hand and forearm. Good weight, and the garrote wire that was hidden was a nice little bonus.

"They've been designed to recognize Colonel Blade, and her only," Stark replied, the faceplate snapping upward, showing off his face. "Same with the watch that Cage wore. I've picked up the energy readings, and they're off the scale."

"So what is it?" Hill demanded. "Alien technology? Has Cage been holding out on us?"

"It's not alien. The metal's an adamantium-based alloy. The tech is so advanced that it's scary. I'm starting to see why Cage won the Army contract."

"The only thing that could probably match this is Wakandan technology," Hill said. "You think Cage is working with T'Challa?"

"Are you kidding? If T'Challa saw this tech, he'd give Cage half of Wakanda's vibranium reserves, and that's saying a lot."

"Can this be reverse-engineered?" Hill asked, removing the gauntlet.

Stark shook his head. "No. Cage had the foresight to make sure that was impossible."

"Regardless, this, along with what had happened earlier with the Goblin now has Cage and his wife on our radar. I know you got some kind of file on the both of them."

"I do. Nothing pops out. Cage is a businessman and martial arts champion who built the company from the ground up alongside his sister, who lives in England with her family. Sonya's a Colonel in the Army. Elder daughter was the product of a teenage pregnancy, and has just graduated from West Point, younger daughter is a genius and is about to graduate college. Both attended private school and graduated from Brookhaven High School in San Francisco. Aside from a couple of traffic citations, nothing."

"Send me the file once we're done here," Hill said. "I want to look at them personally. Where are they now?"

"The Medical Bay. Cage has a couple of cracked ribs and Colonel Blade has a hyper-extended wrist. I'm going to meet up with Cap and the others as he questions them as to what had happened." He held out his hand. "I think both Cage and Blade will be more forthcoming with their answers if we return their property."

Maria considered saying no, citing 'national security issues' while her team of techies and scientists attempt to crack the tech. Reluctantly, Maria handed over the other gauntlet and Stark retrieved the sportswatch as well. She really hated the fact that Stark was right over this.

Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade were to her, an unknown. Better to remain on their good sides. She could always watch the interrogation inside her office.

* * *

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier - Medical Bay, Examination Room No.3

Cradling her injured wrist, now bandaged, Sonya watched as the medics worked on her husband. Johnny sat on the examination table, naked from the waist up, the medics treating the cuts and wrapping medical bandages around his torso.

"Fortunate for you, Mr. Cage, the damage to your ribs isn't serious," the senior medic said. "However, you should take it easy for the next six weeks in order for them to heal properly."

"Don't worry," Sonya said. "I'll personally see to that."

The medic grinned as she finished her work on the bandages. Meanwhile, the armed guard was on his headset, acknowledging orders from Hill. "The both of you will remain here for the moment. Someone wishes to speak with you."

Sonya nodded, and both the medic and the armed guard left the room.

"So what do you think? We're being recorded?" Johnny asked as Sonya walked over to him.

Sonya nodded. "Audio and visual. This is the Helicarrier, after all."

"Coulda sworn that the Avengers had disbanded without S.H.I.E.L.D.'s support."

"That was the original band of Avengers," Captain America said as he entered the examination room, followed by Iron Man – the face plate now covering his face – and Luke Cage. "We're the New Avengers."

Sonya almost did a double-take upon seeing Luke Cage. He could almost pass for a younger Jax, she realized. "I'd thought you'd be taller," she said.

Cap shrugged his shoulders. "I get that a lot." He introduced his teammates. "This is Iron Man, and this is Luke Cage."

"Colonel Sonya Blade, U.S. Army," Sonya introduced herself. She pointed to her husband, who was getting his shirt back on. "My husband, Johnny Cage."

"No relation," Johnny added.

"Funny," Luke muttered.

"This won't take long," Iron Man said as he walked over to the pair, the gauntlets and the wristwatch in his hands. Johnny and Sonya retrieved the items. While Johnny slipped the watch back on, Sonya placed her gauntlets back inside her jacket pocket. "Why are you here in New York?"

"Attending a fundraiser for a children's hospital," Sonya replied. "I made the decision to come with him."

"And tonight?" Cap asked.

"A long overdue date night," Johnny replied. He jerked his thumb at his wife, "She just returned from a nine-month tour overseas."

"The Green Goblin is one of the most unpredictable villains out here," Cap said. "Unpredictable, and deadly. How did you manage to bring him down?"

"You mean aside from the attack drones that ran interference?" Sonya asked. "Johnny and I are both martial artists."

"Over thirty years' experience for the both of us, give or take," Johnny added.

In truth, it was well over fifty. Johnny and Sonya knew of Cap's history. 'The Man Out Of Time,' is what they called him. A World War II veteran, he was frozen for over seventy years before he was discovered. Being refugees from Earthrealm, they both knew the feeling of being out of place.

"Thirty years? Between the both of you?" Luke asked.

"No. I've been training in martial arts since I was six," Johnny explained.

"Been doing it since I was five," Sonya added. "Now I'm thirty-seven and Johnny just turned forty."

Luke and Cap turned to Iron Man. "Heart rate, brain patterns, pulse, and breathing are normal. They're telling the truth," he said, looking at the couple.

'From a certain point of view,' Johnny thought.

Cap nodded. "Back to the Goblin..."

"No technique, all brawn, no brains," Sonya said. "Remove the glider and the bombs, and he becomes much easier to deal with."

"And that's why I leave the battle tactics to her," Johnny said. "She lives for stuff like that."

"You don't consider what you did to the Goblin overkill, Colonel?" Cap asked.

"Overkill is underrated. Sometimes overkill is needed. A lesson I learned in my years in the Army."

"She does got a point there, Cap," Luke said. "Sometimes its needed to make sure the bad guys stay down. But what you did to the Goblin..."

"He ruined our date," Sonya defended. "He almost killed innocent people in the streets. And he tried to kill my husband and myself."

"Believe me when I say that you don't want to piss her off. I've been married to her long enough to know," Johnny said.

"Yeah, no argument here," Luke muttered. "That was...brutal. Goblin's gonna be singing falsetto for a while."

"You took a great risk in facing the Goblin," Cap said. "But we are grateful that the both of you helped saved lives."

"We'll transport you back down to the city," Iron Man said. "Because of your actions, you won't be facing any charges. Just leave the hero work to us from now on, okay?"

"Sure. No problem," Johnny replied.

'If only you knew,' Sonya thought as she and Johnny were led to the Quintjet. 'If only you knew the truth about me and Johnny.'

Sonya was silent for the duration of the flight back to the city. The couple would be back in San Francisco the following morning. Of course, by that time, news of how they had beaten down the Green Goblin would spread.

But the consequences of their actions would put them not only on the radar of S.H.I.E.L.D., but also on the radar of Tony Stark himself.


	9. 4: Requiem

**Chapter Four: Requiem**

Snafu's Notes: Fast-forward 18 years (or three if you read the previous chapter). Johnny is 43, Sonya is 40 and Cassie is 25. Had they stayed in Earthrealm, their ages would be 73 for Johnny, 70 for Sonya and 41 for Cassie. Technically, had Liu Kang survived the events of MK9, he would be 49. But in canon, he's five years younger than Johnny, which puts him at 38.

Now, the story takes place during the Avengers vs X-Men storyline. Also in this fanfic, several major events take place either earlier or not at all. The S.H.R.A. and the Civil War still happens, along with the Secret Invasion and the rise of Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R. One major change that is changed regards Julia Carpenter (Arachne/Madame Web No.2), in which she becomes the second Madame Web shortly before the S.H.R.A. becomes law. The version of Julia who signs on with the Avengers was a Skrull, while the real one works with Sonya's Tactical Response Unit as a government agent, of course, this causes both Sonya and Ms. Marvel to come to blows. Yeah, Carol is a martial artist here. The second is that some of Marvel's baddies are dead, either slain by Cassie (Madame Masque and the Purple Man) or assassinated by Liu and Kitana (Norman Osborn). The last one is that Amadeus Cho works for Cage Incorporated, rather than become the head of the Olympus Group following the events of The Incredible Hercules.

 **UPDATE!** I decided to go into more detail as to how Cassie kills off the Purple Man. There will be a flashback as to how that plays out, along with Madame Masque's demise later on down the storyline.

Eighteen years later.

The Red Lotus Society: a secretive organization that specializes in espionage and assassination.

While the Red Lotus did get their hands dirty in killing, its primary targets were various criminal entities. Founded by a former Shaolin monk and an exiled princess, the Red Lotus has become one of the most dangerous and most disciplined clans on the planet. With informants and moles in every corner of the Earth, nothing went by the Red Lotus without them noticing it.

The Red Lotus' favorite targets were those who dealt in human trafficking. One particular target had caught their attention – James Shepherd. His public appearance was that of a benevolent philanthropist, businessman and widower.

His true face was anything but.

Shepherd was the head of a criminal syndicate, and a particular violent one, with human trafficking as his specialty. He was also an admirer of the late Colombian drug baron Pablo Escobar and incorporated his policy of 'plata o plomo,' meaning 'silver or lead,' when dealing with those who were starting to get too close to his operations. Nine times out of ten, they took the bribe...and chose survival. If they refused, then Shepherd's policy was to exterminate not only the offending party, but also their entire bloodline.

His reason? "So no one can grow up and take revenge for the deaths of their families."

Too bad that his criminal activities have brought down the wrath of the Red Lotus on not only himself, but his entire operation.

A mansion, somewhere on Long Island

This was supposed to be his birthday party. He had rented out this mansion on Long Island for him and his boys to celebrate. Instead, a half-naked James Shepherd was running for his life, frightened out of his mind, stumbling over the bodies of his men. Some laid on the ground at unnatural angles, others had limbs severed and throats slashed, some of them even burned to death.

It was supposed to be a joyous event. There was booze, drugs, and women. Sure the men had gotten rough with the merchandise, as he and everyone else heard some of them scream as they were violated, but he paid good money for them. Either way, they probably wouldn't live to see the end of this night, as he would have them disposed of once the party was over.

Then, the lights went out...and all Hell broke loose.

He was in the master bedroom when it happened, shirt already off, savoring the frightened look of the teenage runaway he had picked up, salivating over the chance of defiling her, violating her.

That was before the dying had started.

Now, here he was, petrified, the revolver shaking in his hands. The dying had stopped, the girls long since fled. He was all alone with the dead and dying.

"Shepherd..."

The crime boss froze in his tracks at the female voice, slightly distorted, called out his name in a mockery of a sing-song tone. He had seen the she-devil in action; a woman with concrete-gray skin, complete with veins the color of the sun protruding from her face, arms, legs and torso.

And her eyes...they were reddish-gold, no hint of a pupil or iris. She was armed with a pair of bladed fans.

"...come out, come out, wherever you are..." the woman said, her booted feet walking past his hiding place. "This can end in two ways...and in both of them, you die..."

When her footsteps had faded, Shepherd scampered out of his hiding place, Crawling on his hands and legs, he watched as the woman, splattered in dried blood, approached one of his dying men, his insides on the outside. Spencer watched as she placed her booted foot on his throat and crushed his larynx, his death rattle escaping from his throat before he died.

While the woman was distracted with killing his last surviving man, Shepherd crawled past her. Once he was far enough, he got to his feet and broke into a run.

As he reentered the main hall from the corridor, he saw the main doors, open. Shepherd's heart leapt with joy. He could see his car parked outside...

...just as it erupted into a ball of flames, causing him to skid to a halt. Not because of the car's explosion, but because of the woman's companion calmly stepping into view, blocking his exit.

He looked Asian, muscular, with a red headband keeping the bangs out of his eyes. The eyes, skin and veins were the same as his female counterpart's: gray skin with yellow veins, reddish-gold eyes. The man was clad in armor, which was also stained in the blood of his slain men.

Shepherd stumbled backwards, only to trip on his feet, causing him to fall on his rear, just as the man calmly advanced on him. He knew who they were. The Red Lotus. But he had dismissed them as nothing more but smoke and mirrors.

And now, here they were, and he was their target.

* * *

"No matter where you go, no matter which realm you travel to, people are always such a superstitious lot."

Kitana couldn't help but to agree with her husband's reasoning. Which is why she had conjured a spell on both herself and Liu, giving them the appearance of their former revenant selves before the attack began.

In the nineteen years since her resurrection, Kitana had discovered that Liu had a knack for the art of assassination, just as she discovered that she had a natural talent for Edenian sorcery. It was classical, more refined than the Black Arts used by Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn.

Jade had taught her the ways of the mystic. Kitana knew how to open portals, but Jade taught her much more. So now, Kitana can add mystic to her list. While the Red Lotus' primarily dealt in assassination, Kitana and Liu also helped people, hence the orphanage and martial arts academy they both ran. Sure it was their cover, but joy in the martial arts was one thing they enjoyed passing on to the younger generation.

That and it acted as a form of penance for their past crimes as revenants.

The Red Lotus had Jacob Shepherd in their sights. Normally, a sleeper cell would infiltrate and assassinate. But upon finding out that Shepherd dabbled in human trafficking, Liu and Kitana opted to deal with the man themselves, seeing as child predators and exploiters were on top of their shit list.

And the fact that Jade herself was a rape victim...

...well, there are fates worse than death.

"Wait! Wait!" Shepherd shouted. "Let's make a deal!"

"Did your victims beg for their lives when you extinguished their lives, but also their bloodline?" Liu demanded. "How many begged for their lives before you killed them?"

"I just gave the order! I didn't kill anybody!"

"It makes you just as guilty."

"Let me go! Please! Everyone has a price! Name yours! Let me go, and I'll pay double! No, triple!"

"Your life is forfeit. That is the price of the Red Lotus for the innocent lives you have destroyed and the women and child you have ruined."

"It was just business! Nothing personal!"

"It was personal to me," Kitana said, blocking Shepherd's escape route.

Liu was upon him in seconds. A kick to the skull, causing it to smash into the floor had stunned him long enough for him to grab Shepherd and haul him to his feet. "He's all yours," Liu said as he forcibly turned the petrified crime boss around and shoved him towards Kitana.

There was a terrifying beauty in seeing Kitana kill. The fact that it was someone who had exploited children made it even more terrifying.

Blood splattered onto Kitana's skin as Shepherd's hands fell to the floor, Kitana having lopped them off with her fans. Eyes ablaze, Kitana pounced on the screaming man, knocking him back down onto the floor, pinning him with her weight.

Then Kitana took aim at his head.

Bladed fans sliced through flesh, bone and brain matter like a hot knife through butter. Shepherd's eyes rolled into the back of his head as the top and middle parts separated from his lower jaw, the top part rolling on its top, while the middle part rolled onto its side.

Kitana produced a small business card and placed it on Shepherd's corpse. A card with a black field with a crimson lotus in full bloom. Getting back to her feet, she closed her fans and conjured a portal. Wordlessly, the two stepped through, the portal snapping shut behind them, their mission completed.

* * *

Red Lotus Compound, near the Chinese-Vietnamese border.

The official cover of the Red Lotus Compound was that it was a martial arts school, which doubled as an orphanage. Liu Kang ran the martial arts school, while Kitana served as the matron of the orphanage. It also helped that the nearby village were Red Lotus loyalists, Liu Kang and Kitana having earned their trust after repelling a bandit attack some seventeen years earlier.

Since then, the Red Lotus thrived in the years since their arrival.

The two grandmasters were inside their bedroom inside the compound's main house, fresh from their shower in which they cleaned the dried blood off of each other's bodies, Liu seated on the edge of the bed, naked from the waist up, while Kitana was behind him, wore a tanktop and a pair of shorts, hair tied back, working the kinks out of his shoulders with her hands.

"You are so good at that," Liu said, sighing as the knots in his shoulders began to loosen. With the way she worked her hands, she could melt steel. "I think you're in the wrong line of work. You should have been a masseuse."

Kitana smiled. "I enjoy my current occupation."

"Of that, I am certain."

"Something on your mind, Liu?" Kitana asked.

"It's nothing."

"You can't lie to me, Liu Kang," Kitana scolded. "Now tell me."

He sighed. "I miss the others. Lao...Enenra...Nightwolf...we may have been dead, but there was that trust, that bond, despite being under Quan Chi's curse."

"I know. I miss them too," Kitana said, her expression softening. "Especially Mother. My death at her hands wasn't her fault. Shao Kahn and Quan Chi corrupted her. We had long since made our peace with that. We have made a new life for ourselves here."

"Of that, I know. The Red Lotus is thriving."

That was indeed true. But the Red Lotus Society wasn't the only endeavor that Liu and Kitana had. There was the martial arts school. Ironically, Liu had named it the Wu Shi Academy, as a reminder of his Shaolin origins. He served as the grandmaster of the martial arts school. Kitana oversaw the Wu Shi Orphanage as its matron.

The thirty children had grown up to become the first-generation members of the Red Lotus. While some served as agents and assassins, others had relocated to various parts of the world, such as New York and San Francisco. Liu and Kitana had an effective spy network, with members having infiltrated the American military and various law enforcement entities, even Cage Incorporated and Stark Enterprises. The second-generation of the Red Lotus trainees were coming along rather nicely, having been chosen from the orphanage to train in kombat and espionage.

Of course, the Red Lotus had gotten the attention of The Hand, and its leader, Elektra Natchios. The sai-wielding assassin had heard of the Red Lotus' rise to power and of its three grandmasters. So far, Elektra Natchios hasn't done nothing to warrant their attention to her...yet.

Kitana stopped massaging Liu's shoulders and sat next to him. "Our informants in San Francisco have passed word that Johnny Cage is retiring from the ring."

"Oh? You are telling me this because...?"

"I have to go to San Francisco anyway to check on our interests there."

"While it is indeed true that I got to challenge Mr. Rand to kombat through Cage, I think it would be best if I remain here."

That much was indeed true. Upon hearing about the warrior known as Iron Fist, Liu had requested an inquiry into the man. He was Daniel Rand, owner of Rand Incorporated. Even more surprising was not only was he an Avenger, but also friends with Johnny himself, as both men were businessmen.

That was another thing that surprised Liu. He had expected Johnny to return to acting. Instead, he had became a businessman, and Cage Incorporated was the result. A multi-billion dollar conglomerate specializing in clean energy, software development, biomedical research, financial services, just to name a few. Cage Incorporated was second to Stark Enterprises in power and influence.

But even Liu Kang had to admit that the fight with Iron Fist was the best match he had in ages, despite him losing. Iron Fist was one of the few people he had respected.

Kitana rested her chin on her husband's shoulder. "So you would just allow me to go to San Francisco all by myself?" she asked, mock-insulted.

"You're over ten thousand years old, Kitana," Liu replied, amused. "You do things your way."

"Smart answer. You're coming with me. Or would you rather have me go by myself and have men after men throw themselves at me?"

Liu sighed. "I need to find something formal for this..." he grumbled.

"Silly little Shaolin," Kitana teased, kissing him on the cheek. "Good answer."

Liu muttered under his breath in Cantonese about fan-wielding princesses backing him into a no-win situation.

* * *

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Medical Bay - New York City, the following day.

'It's coming...it's coming...'

The words of a battered superhero rang in Carol Danvers' ears as she looked in on the comatose form of Sam Alexander. So far, no changes in his condition. Better known as Nova, a member of the Nova Corps, his arrival had caused quite a bit of havoc in the city, mainly because he had overshot his flight plan, crashed into several buildings, and almost caused a plane to crash.

Thankfully, no one was injured. But the words that were repeating in Ms. Marvel's head were the last words Nova said before slipping into a coma.

That was three years ago, shortly before Stamford.

The human-Kree superheroine turned from the still form of Nova and left the Helicarrier's medical bay. Usually, it was Steve who would be checking in on Same for any signs of improvement. But he was finishing up a briefing with the President in regards to the Phoenix Force.

That's what Nova was ranting about. But he was too late, as the Phoenix Force has long since been on the planet having arrived following the Superhuman Registration Act becoming law three years earlier. So far, nothing. Both Steve and Logan had suspected that Hope Summers was the host to the Phoenix.

That turned out to be false. Hope didn't have the Phoenix, which meant whoever was the host to the cosmic entity was in the wind, hiding under the noses of both the Avengers and the X-Men.

Since then, the S.H.R.A. was dissolved. But the Phoenix remained in hiding. The Avengers had missed it by hours when it had flared up onbord the H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier. Apparently, Osborn had tried to control the host, only for it to incinerate a sizable majority of the Hood's gang of villains, who had been onboard at the time.

It didn't help much that both Cap and Cyclops were on bad terms in regards as to what should be done once the host was identified. Cyclops believed that the Phoenix's power can restore mutantkind, which has been teetering on the edge of extinction following the Decimation, while Steve believed that the host should be placed in protective custody. Fortunately, Rachel Summers – a former host of the Phoenix – managed to keep the two men from coming to blows.

A shaky peace was the result between the Avengers and the X-Men.

Tony was in San Francisco, attending a party celebrating Johnny Cage's retirement from the martial arts ring, with Natasha accompanying him as his 'date.' In other words, make sure that Tony didn't do anything stupid.

Johnny Cage. The founder of Cage Incorporated. Based out in San Francisco, it was the second-largest corporate entity on the planet, rivaling that of Stark Enterprises, specializing in clean renewable energy, biomedical research and software design. While Stark was a self-described 'genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist,' Johnny was a 'charismatic businessman, billionaire, family man, and philanthropist.'

Carol knew how to read people. And to her, Johnny just oozed charisma. He was the opposite of Tony, which made him more likable. For a billionaire/martial artist, he was more humble and down-to-earth. No wonder he was able to snag Sonya as his wife.

Carol frowned. She had just earned her Air Force commission when she had met Sonya Blade, and due to her marriage to Johnny, was nicknamed 'the richest officer in the military.' They had been friends. But the Act had put them on opposing sides. While Carol supported the act, both Sonya and her husband were against it. Their friendship soured further when it was discovered not only did Johnny and Sonya opposed the Act, but their two daughters themselves were telepaths, and Johnny himself had superhuman abilities.

Of course, this was all after the Act was repealed in its entirety did Carol and Stark discover the truth. But she did have a form of grudging respect towards Johnny and Sonya in regards to how they raised both Cassandra and Ravenna, teaching them not to use their powers as a crutch, but to outsmart and out-think their opponents. The fact that the Cage family were martial artists also helped.

But the fact that both Sonya and Johnny had given the Act and by extension, all of S.H.I.E.L.D. the proverbial middle finger by rebelling against the Act – and succeeding – had really stung.

It was one of the main reasons why she refused to tag along with Tony Stark to San Francisco. Steve, on the other hand, was impressed with how Johnny and Sonya handled the situation. "They were protecting their children," Steve had said. "If you had children, you yourself would had done the same."

Speaking of Steve, the first Avenger rounded the corner, having returned from his briefing with the President, still in his signature costume, shield slung behind his back.

"Carol," Cap greeted.

"Steve," Carol replied back.

"Any change in Sam?"

Carol shook her head. "How did the briefing go?"

"The President is demanding results in the search for the Phoenix Force, but so far, nothing." He took a moment to remove his cowl. "It's still here. I know it."

"You think Summers and Xavier are hiding it?"

"Don't think so. Rachel's confirmed that Hope isn't the Phoenix's host, and Logan stands by her claim. I don't trust Cyclops, given that he believes that whoever is the Phoenix's host is also their messiah. But Xavier's been straightforward with me, and I trust him over Cyclops, Frost or Magneto."

"Can you blame Summers? I mean, not trusting you. First, he loses his girlfriend to the damn thing, after that, the House of M, the Decimation and the split with Wolverine. Honestly, if all that happened to me, I'd lost my mind a long time ago."

"Hoping against hope that the Phoenix can bring mutantkind back from the brink. He has been through a lot...both him and Xavier. You're right about that." Carol then fell into step beside Steve. "I'm surprised that you're not in San Francisco with Tony."

"I need a break from the guy. Plus, I'm not on good terms with Colonel Blade."

"In regards to the Act?"

Carol nodded. Steve had met both Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade in the past, along with their two daughters, Cassandra and Ravenna. While Cassie followed her mother into the military, working her way up the ranks, Ravenna was being groomed to take over Cage Incorporated once their father stepped down.

Steve can understand why not only did Johnny and Sonya had hidden the fact that their daughters were not only mutants, but Johnny himself had inborn powers, in which father and daughters had violated the S.H.R.A..

Then, there was Julia Carpenter.

Originally known as Arachne, she had registered under the S.H.R.A.. But in truth, she was a double agent, working with Shroud in aiding unregistered superheroes, she fled, injuring twelve SHIELD operatives in the process, and ramming Carol with a car during her escape.

Assuming that Julia had fled to her parents' home to retrieve her daughter, Carol discovered that Julia hadn't been there for the past six months. On top of that, Julia didn't join the Mighty Avengers, nor did she registered under her married name. The truth was far worse.

Apparently, Rachel had been diagnosed with a kidney disorder, forcing her to undergo dialysis on a daily basis. Cage Incorporated had been working on a cure, and Julia had signed the papers for Rachel to undergo the experimental treatment. Julia and her daughter had taken up residence at Fort Charles, outside of San Francisco.

Not wanting an incident, Carol, Wonder Man and the newest member of the Mighty Avengers, Arana Corazon, visited Fort Charles. There, they found Julia Cornwall and her daughter. When Carol demanded that Julia surrender, Sonya had intervened, stating that Julia has been here for the past six months. On top of that, Julia was no longer Arachne, but Madame Web, having succeeded the late Cassandra Webb for the position following a series of events prior to the S.H.R.A. becoming law.

As it turned out, Julia had not joined the Mighty Avengers, but had been recruited by Sonya herself in order to form a Psy-Ops squad for the Tactical Response Unit, as one of her new abilities just so happens to be telepathy. When Carol demanded Julia to be handed over, despite Sonya herself intervening on Julia's behalf, Sonya refused.

That led Sonya and Carol coming to blows.

Carol had forgotten about how Sonya's energy shields can absorb energy for her gauntlets, of which she fired back at her. When Carol thought Sonya had summoned only two attack drones, Sonya had a third hidden, one that fired non-lethal electric blasts that wrecked havoc on her central nervous system.

 _"I've done my homework on you, Danvers. You've been relying on your superpowers for far too long. Time to make you remember."_

Enraged, Carol attacked Sonya, while Wonder Man called Iron Man. All the while Sonya had educated Carol on a loophole in the S.H.R.A.. One she exploited in retaining the services of Julia herself.

 _"Interesting read, the S.H.R.A.. You really should try and read it sometime. Especially Section 11, Paragraph 4. You know, the section in which any superhumans are exempt from registering under the Act, if they are working with the military, be it as an active serviceman, officer or as a civilian employee, or the spouse of one of the above as the federal government already have their names and status already on file with the military? It also exempts from from having to sign on with S.H.I.E.L.D., if they are a registered superhero."_

Carol thought that Sonya had been bluffing. But as she would later find out, not only was Sonya telling the truth, but that Arachne was a Skrull clone. Somehow, Julia had managed to escape capture from the Skrulls and fled with her ailing daughter. Iron Man himself had cornered the fake Arachne and subdued it. It was only when Spider-Woman had brought him the false Elektra's body, did Stark become worried.

He also brought the match between the two women to a halt. But the damage had already been done. Carol Danvers hasn't spoke to Sonya since that day.

It was also through this loophole, did the Secret Avengers managed to gain some breathing room from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Mighty. Under the guise of a sparring session with Daniel Rand, Cassie Cage – at the behest of her father – had told him of the loophole in question. One of Sonya's friends down in Fort Burton owed her a favor and that was how the fugitive Avengers managed to escape capture from Stark's forces.

It was temporary, of course, but it helped.

"The Act didn't keep those with powers in check," Sonya had said. "All it did was put a giant red target on their back, and those of their families."

It was also the main reason as why Johnny and their daughters didn't register under the Act.

Suffice to say, Sonya had been right about that. Once it became known that Sonya had refused to follow the Act, she had been reprimanded by the top brass for disobeying orders and was facing a court-martial, but due to the fact that not only was her husband Johnny Cage, but the fact that the Army had several contracts due to Sonya being the wife of the Chairman of Cage Incorporated, they didn't want to risk losing those contracts.

Johnny had made that position **very** clear.

So Sonya was let off the hook. It also helped that the top brass had families as well.

Tony didn't think too highly of Johnny as well upon discovering not only did Johnny hide his inborn powers, but also concealed the fact that his daughters were mutants. So much so that he confronted Johnny whilst the latter was on a tour of Cage Incorporated's New York offices. If there was one thing that Tony hated, it was being played like a fool, especially as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

It also didn't help matters when Tony confronted Johnny as Iron Man. Johnny wasn't impressed. Fortunately, the men didn't come to blows...although Danny Rand and Luke Cage had their money on Johnny, as both men knew that he can fight, as Norman Osborn found that out the hard way.

Steve shuddered mentally. He had thought that Johnny was a fake. But seeing as how he and Sonya had both beaten down Osborn when he tried to kill them, it showed that Johnny was anything but.

Steve also suspected that Johnny had something up his sleeve in the event he and Iron Man threw down.

"You should go and talk to her, Carol," Cap said. "She was right about the Act."

"She violated the Act, Steve. Both of them. They hid the fact that their daughters were mutants and aided and abetted several superhero fugitives in escaping."

"While Johnny and Sonya's methods are questionable, Sonya protected her children, as any mother would."

Carol sighed. "I know."

When Johnny and Sonya revealed that their daughters were mutants, it had been during a press conference following the siege of Asgard, following Cassie using her powers to escape from H.A.M.M.E.R. following her and her sister's abduction.

Carol had seen the press conference alongside Tony and the other Avengers following the Siege of Asgard. Tony had to admit that Johnny had the press eating out of his hand, that he was a natural at it. Support for the Cage family grew and Cage Incorporated weathered the storm intact.

It also boosted support for Xavier's school once it became known that both Cassie and Raven attended there.

The revelation in regards to Cassie and Raven had started with their kidnapping by H.A.M.M.E.R.'s forces. Not forgetting the humiliating beatdown he had suffered at the hands of Cassie's parents, Norman Osborn had Cassie and Ravenna kidnapped and imprisoned on the H.A.M.M.E.R.'s helicarrier, and gave Johnny an ultimatum: Cage Incorporated for his daughters.

The end result? Cassie and Ravenna breaking free out of their cells with the aid of two unknown assassins and cutting a path of destruction inside the H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier. What Cassie had done to Madame Masque was in itself vicious, as it had been on Osborn's orders that The Hood and Madame Masque's gang of villains – on Osborn's payroll – that had executed the kidnapping.

The Hood had used the Purple Man for the task, his mind-control abilities were more than enough for the deed to be done without causing any damage to the girls or to the surrounding property.

Steve had seen the footage of the girls locked in their cells as Madame Masque explained the situation to them, that if Johnny wanted to see them again, then he must surrender all of Cage Incorporated to Osborn. What Cassie had said threw Masque off-guard.

" _Pretty funny, seeing as how you don't know my parents or us too well. In fact, I'm going to give you a gift, Frost. I'm going to kill you last."_

After breaking free and using their powers to make the Hood's gang turn on H.A.M.M.E.R. and each other, Cassie made good on her promise. While Parker Robbins managed to escape, Madame Masque was left to endure Cassie's wrath.

And it was **brutal.**

Steve shuddered as he remembered how Cassie had executed Masque. First, she slammed the masked villain to the wall to disarm her with her telekinesis, followed by slamming her face-first into the ground. Then, Cassie proceeded to use her mind to smash Masque's face into the floor repeatedly until first the mask shattered, then her face was obliterated being smashed into the floor repeatedly at super-speed, until her already-scarred face was pulverized.

The broken neck afterward was overkill.

Cassie herself was also credited with killing Zebediah Killgrave. His death had been a bit more practical. Cassie had proceeded to vent her frustrations by beating the crap out of the man, followed by hard punch to the windpipe, which had silenced him from using his mind control, followed by being flung out of the H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrer. At 1,000 feet from the ground. The Purple Man had to literally be scraped off of the pavement.

Osborn himself would be assassinated when he had escaped from prison, following the Asgard Siege, the bones in the upper half of his body pulverized.

Steve had his eyes on Cassandra Cage for a while now as a prospect for S.H.I.E.L.D. She was a telepath and a martial artist, one whom even Logan spoke highly of when it came to her martial arts abilities, and earned praise from Professor Xavier due to her mutant abilities, which is not surprising seeing as how she was a former student of his. Steve can respect that both Johnny and Sonya had trained Cassie (and Ravenna) not to use their powers as a crutch.

A First Lieutenant in the Army's Tactical Response Unit, Cassie worked alone as a field agent, but showed off leadership abilities when she led a TRU squad during Osborn's Asgard siege. Iron Fist, Logan and the Black Widow also praised her fighting abilities. Of course, there was one incident that took place whilst the S.H.R.A. was in effect. Iron Man had led a squad of the Mighty Avengers and a squad of Capekillers to Union Vale, due to a tip that Jessica Jones and their daughter were in hiding, having returned from Toronto months after the Act was in place.

Instead, Stark, the Mighty Avengers and the Capekillers found Cassandra Cage, not Jessica Jones, inside the house. After mowing down the Capekillers, it took Iron Man himself in subduing the young woman...only to realize his mistake.

Steve had seen the video of Sonya screaming bloody murder over the phone upon finding out what has happened to her daughter. Sonya's temper was already infamous, stemming from making Osborn scream falsetto, but God help you if you threaten her children. Faced with the threat of a lawsuit from her father's legal team and criminal charges from the mother, Cassie was released immediately.

But if there was one major thing that pissed Tony and the rest of the Avengers off, it was the situation surrounding Amadeus Cho. Personally, Steve thought that that problem could have been handled better, instead of chasing after the kid as if he was some kind of criminal.

As it turned out, Amadeus was no mutant. He had a hyper-mind. One that Johnny had recognized almost immediately.

It had been another black eye to S.H.I.E.L.D., as Johnny was able to not only get Amadeus' record cleared, but also earned himself a new employee for Cage Incorporated. Last he heard, Amadeus was thoroughly enjoying his new job working in the biomedical division of the company. Steve had seen some of the stuff that Cage Incorporated was working on. Some of it was radically advanced, even more so than some of Stark's tech.

Even though Tony was no longer Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., there was still bad blood between himself and Johnny Cage.

"So what do we do in regards to the Phoenix?" Carol asked.

"We prepare, Carol. That's all we can do. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I'm hoping that we can intercept the Phoenix before Xavier and his group do..."

"Cap! Cap!"

One of the medics came running around the corner. "He's awake! Nova's awake!"

Steve broke out into a run, with Carol following close behind.

He had given the nurse that was checking on his vitals a serious fright when he abruptly woke up. So much so that she ran out of the room, screaming bloody murder.

He was still chanting those same two words that he was saying when he crash-landed on Earth several months prior when Captain America and Ms. Marvel rushed into the room, the doctors trying but failing to calm him down.

"It's coming...It's COMING..."

 **SLAP.**

Nova's head rocked to the side, his cheek reddening from the impact of Carol's palm slapping his face, which caused him to snap out of his madness.

"Not what I'd had done, but whatever works," Cap replied. To Nova, he said, "Calm down, Alexander. You're safe. You're onboard the Helicarrier."

"We're not safe, Cap," Nova replied, panting. "The Phoenix is coming."

Cap sighed. "You're too late with the news, Sam. We already know."

Sam blinked. "Wait...what?"

Cap didn't beat around the bush. "The Phoenix Force is already here on the planet, and has been for the past several years. You've been in a coma for the past three years."

* * *

 _The old man was good, she had realized as the ancient hermit laid on the ground, his breathing labored, his wounds mortal. But something was wrong. Raiden had said that the man she was after was a 'soul-stealer.' Pumped from her victory over Shinnok, she had accepted Raiden's mission of hunting what she had thought was Shang Tsung down, with her reporting to Raiden at the Sky Temple once she was finished._

 _She had heard that Shang Tsung had died, his soul and those he had absorbed used to power-up Sindel, which led to a sizable number of Raiden's champions becoming revenants long before she was born. She had assumed that Shang had somehow returned to the land of the living._

 _She was wrong. While the man mimicked some of the kombatants' signature techniques, he was no soul-stealer._

 _She had to know._

 _"You're not Shang Tsung. Who the hell are you?!"_

 _The old man spoke his name in a combination of sadness and relief. "S...Shujinko..."_

 _Cassie's eyes widened in horror as the full extent of what she had done had hit her. She had expected Shang Tsung, not this old man._

 _"Fuck!" Cassie swore, turning on her heels..._

 _...and coming face-to-face with Shujinko. His skin was concrete-grey, the eyes a fiery golden red. And to top it all, he was very, very angry._

 _With surprizing strength, Shujinko's hand clamped down on Cassie's throat, cold as death. Cassie found herself being pinned up against the wall, and lifted off of the ground. She tried to break free, but to no avail. When she tried to go for her baton, Shujinko grabbed her forearm and twisted._

 _A thick, meaty and incredibly sickening SNAP was heard, Cassie screaming as her forearm was broken._

 _"YOU KILLED ME!" Shujinko bellowed, his voice laced with fury._

 _"I...was following Raiden's orders!" Cassie gasped._

 _"The fool who follows fools."_

 _Cassie looked up, while Shujinko turned his head. Standing in the doorway, was Liu Kang and Kitana, now the Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm._

 _"You deserve justice for your demise, Shujinko," Liu said, his own reddish-golden eyes ablaze. "Take your vengeance!"_

 _"Her life for Lord Shinnok's!" Kitana echoed._

 _A sinister smile crept upon the undead master's face as he turned back to the struggling Cassie. His free hand was now encased in demonic flames, the hand now balled into a fist._

 _"Finish her!" Liu commanded. "Her soul is now forfeit! It's mine!"_

 _"NO...!" Cassie's screams were abruptly silenced as Shujinko's fist smashed into her skull._

* * *

With a yell, Cassandra Cage shot to a seated position, her body drenched in sweat.

She wasn't back in Earthrealm, watching Shujinko die on the floor of the Kang Temple. She wasn't being slain by the old man as Liu and Kitana watched. She was in her old bedroom, naked save for a pair of panties. She wasn't in Earthrealm, but in her old bedroom inside the family home.

With a groan, Cassie swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She could almost imagine the brow-beating she would get from her mother. Not because she was almost naked, mind you, but the fact that she was starting to take one too many risks, believing that her impulsiveness would eventually cost her in the long run.

Cassie knew that her mom meant well, but she wasn't the one haunted for years the dreams of her killing Shujinko. It was one of the reasons why she competed in underground tournaments during her down time. It helped her to forget. Self-destructive, yeah, but for the past nineteen years, despite making a new life for herself, she was haunted by not only Shujinko's murder, but also her failure to keep her team out of harm's way when it came to Raiden.

That, and there were worst things that she could be doing, such as sleeping around and doing drugs.

It was also one of the reasons why she liked working alone, despite being a First Lieutenant under the Tactical Response Unit commanded by her mother. Somehow, Sonya had convinced her to pursue a commission. So, after four years at West Point, Cassandra C. Cage was now Lieutenant Cassandra C. Cage.

Sure it wasn't her fault, but Cassie felt responsible, the self-doubt now replaced with guilt.

Assuming a seated position, sitting on the edge of the bed, Cassie opened her nightstand drawer and pulled out a photograph. Nineteen years old, but it was still in perfect condition. A selfie, consisting of herself and her teammates.

Team S-F, her father's brainchild.

From the left, was Kung Jin, the Shaolin archer, and cousin to the late Kung Lao. 'Shaolin punk,' as Cassie called him.

Next, was herself, holding the camera, blowing a bubble as she was chewing on some gum. She had her Aviators on, of which she had left behind back in Earthrealm when she and her parents fled to avoid Raiden's corruption. Now that she thought about it, she hated the undercut she once had, as she did it in an act of rebellion towards her mother, who was at the time, the General of the Special Forces. While she still wore her hair short, she no longer had the undercut (think Anya Strond's short hairdo).

Next to her was Takahashi Takeda, a telepath who was also Kenshi's son and Hanzo Hasashi's star pupil. Cassie knew that her own powers as a telepath surpassed those of Takeda, and quite possibly, his father, who was a powerful telepath in his own right.

Last, was her best friend, her sister in all but name and blood. Jacqueline Sonya Briggs. 'Bitch-face,' as Cassie called her. They had came up together, having been childhood friends, which made her exile even more painful.

It had been nineteen years. Cassie had de-aged and went through puberty yet again. Now, she was twenty-five, but while she mouthed off just like dear old dad, she matured, just like her father had done when he and Sonya divorced the first time around. Of course, Raven would point out that she was technically forty-one, if you add the nineteen years spent here.

But nobody didn't need to know that.

As she looked at the picture, she felt the tattoo that covered her entire back began to glow. Her injuries from the underground pit fights had begun to heal. Well, most people thought it was a tattoo. It was a mark, a sign that she was the host to the Phoenix Force.

One of two hosts, to be precise, the other being her younger sister, as she also had the same tattoo on her back.

Cassie had to hand it to Yao. He had foreseen this happening, and had warned her parents about this in advance. When the Phoenix Force emerged during the Hulk's Invasion of New York, the ancient sorcerer had returned in order to split it in two, hence Cassie being the container to the dark energies of the cosmic entity, while Ravenna contained the light energies. The only sign which showed that both girls were the hosts of the Phoenix were the markings on their backs, easily mistaken for tattoos.

It was easier to control the Phoenix this way, Johnny and Sonya both realized. Only Rachel Summers was able to fully control the Phoenix's powers without any ill effects. Jean Grey – Cassie's friend and a fellow telepath – had been consumed by its power. The relationship that the two Cage girls had with the Phoenix was a symbiotic one, yet they shared the Phoenix's mind. Cassie suspected that the reason why she had gotten the dark half was either because she was exposed to Shinnok's corruption or she was still corrupted following the Blood Code fiasco.

But she can't deny the perks of being the host of the Phoenix. For a genocidal cosmic entity who knew neither good nor evil, it was actually affable.

But as a certain web-slinging superhero once said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'

Which is why both her and Ravenna trained and honed their powers under the watchful eyes of their parents, within Cage Incorporated's Main Complex, in which S.H.I.E.L.D., Xavier, or Stark couldn't detect them. It made Cassie glad that her father had built Cage Incorporated using S-F tech.

Her body healed, but her mind still troubled, Cassie got out of the bed. Retrieving a T-shirt with the phrase ' **TOKEN REQUIRED** ' on the front, Cassie slipped it over her head and began to stretch. No way in hell was she going back to sleep, as she would end up reliving the memory of her killing Shujinko.

The fact that he went revenant and killed her in retaliation was something new. Either way, the guilt was starting to eat at her even more. It was one of the reasons why she chose to fight in the underground fight clubs. It helped her forget during the week in which Shujinko's assassination fell under.

Which was this week.

Once this week passed, she would be able to sleep normally. But for now, she would have to endure this burden on her own. The only question was how long can she endure before she snapped or lashed out at someone undeserving.

* * *

Emerging from the shower, Cassie was greeted with the smell of breakfast as she tied her short hair back into a bun. 'Dad made his shadow pancakes,' she thought as she gave a small grin. Still wearing the shirt from earlier, she had added a pair of shorts for modesty. The shower helped to calm her nerves, but Cassie was still troubled.

She could hear the voices of her parents and sister coming from outside, where they had breakfast. Sure Cassie lived on-base and had her own condo in the city as her 'hideaway,' but she always enjoyed coming home.

The Cove – as her father called it – was the family home, the beach house he had bought upon arriving here nearly 20 years earlier. The place was remote, and quiet, as Johnny valued his and his family's privacy. Sonya had her own personal retreat – the Union Vale home she and Johnny spent several years in.

In a way, fleeing Earthrealm had been a blessing in disguise, as it allowed Cassie to reconnect with her mother. Sure Sonya was still the hard-ass, but when she was not Colonel Blade, she was just Mom.

Then there was her younger sister, Ravenna.

When her parents married again, they had spent their honeymoon in Italy. One of the towns they had visited was named Ravenna. When Sonya discovered that she was pregnant with another girl, she was adamant about the name. Her father agreed, so long as Ravenna carried his original surname and his now-legal surname.

Seven years (or twenty-three years) her junior, Ravenna Carlton Cage looked exactly like Cassie back when she was eighteen. Then again, they could be mistaken for twins, had it not been for the fact that Raven had her father's hair color and eyes, while Cassie had certain aspects inherited from their mother. Sonya had raised a big stink over Raven dyeing her bangs racecar red, but Johnny allowed it, despite being fifteen.

Raven was also a genius. This was revealed to her parents by Xavier himself. Her IQ was at 197, three points shy from being 200, but it was more than enough for her to graduate high school at fifteen. Two years later, she graduated at the top of her class from Stamford University, majoring in business. As Sonya was grooming her once again for a military career, Johnny was training Raven to take over Cage Incorporated once he stepped down. And just like her elder sister, she was a sharp-tongued as her beloved dad and just as driven as her beloved mother.

Like Cassie, she was a telepath, and a former student of Professor Xavier. And like Cassie, she was the host to the Phoenix Force, but only to the light half of its energies. As as a member of the Cage family, Raven was trained in the art of kombat. While Cassie hated Kempo, Raven loved it. She also excelled in Krav Maga and Karate, and spent her time on Utopia conducting self-defense classes when she wasn't learning the ropes in regards to Cage Incorporated.

Like Cassie, she also learned how to fight with weapons. While Cassie preferred firearms, Raven preferred to use psionic-based weaponry. Two of her tutors in weapons training was Katherine Pryde and Elizabeth Braddock. As it turned out, Kitty herself was trained as a ninja assassin in the past by Ogun, and had kept up with her training. Psylocke had mentored her into creating psionic weaponry and advanced techniques.

Through her training, did Ravenna made two best friends: Hope Summers and Illyana Rasputin.

Holding a platter of pancakes, Johnny Cage placed the platter on the table before taking a seat. Forty-three years old and his healthy lifestyle could have him pass for thirty. The former actor-turned-businessman was dressed down in a sleeveless T-shirt, pants and sandals, His sunglasses were on the table.

Her mother was already present. Three years her husband's junior and Sonya A. Blade easily passed for thirty. At forty, she was also the youngest colonel in the Army's history. She was dressed down, wearing a T-shirt with the word **ARMY** emblazoned on the front, track pants and tennis shoes. Her once-again long blond hair tied into her single braid. Then again, when she was fifty-one back in Earthrealm, she, like her father, could pass for much younger. Of course, there were rumors going around saying that since Sonya was married to Johnny, that he was paying for her Botox treatments.

'As if,' Cassie snorted inwardly. 'Those haters wish they looked as good as Mom back when she was a General.'

Another thing about Sonya was that she no longer hid her Texan accent, but she didn't sound like a dumb hick or a ditz. Having a husband who was a retired actor had its advantages, as he had been her coach in getting her to speak in a level in which the accent was still there, but still sounded professional.

Suffice to say, Johnny succeeded.

"Good morning, Cass," her mother greeted.

"Hi, Mom," Cassie replied. "Dad. Raven," she greeted before spearing several pancakes with her fork and placing them on her plate.

"Bad dream?" her father asked.

Cassie's hand hesitated when reaching for the syrup. One thing she had to admit was that her father knew her so well. Subdued, she gripped the handle and poured its contents onto her pancakes. "Shujinko," she replied before stabbing several pieces of bacon.

"Oh. It's the anniversary, right?" Sonya asked, her expression softening.

"It was bad this time around," Cassie said. "Shujinko went revenant and Liu and Kitana goaded him into killing me."

Sonya looked at her daughter. "You need to talk to someone, Cassie."

"I'm not seeing a shrink, Mom."

"You're exhibiting signs of post-traumatic stress disorder," Raven noted. "Shujinko's death has haunted you for the past nineteen years. It's not healthy keeping all of this inside."

Cassie sighed. "I know."

Why else would I pick fights at the various underground clubs? It helps me to forget. And there could be worse things that I could be doing."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "That much is true. At least talk to somebody, Cassie."

Cassie gave her best impersonation of her mother's 'Blade death stare' at her father. "Dad. No. Shrinks."

"Your mom's death glare is better, so drop it," Johnny said.

"What about Xavier?" Sonya suggested. "You trust him, right?"

Slowly, Cassie nodded. She really hated when her parents double-team her. But she knew that they both meant well. That and the fact that the nightmares were starting to make her into a liability.

"Look...I know that what had happened with Shujinko is not your fault," Sonya said in a gentler tone. "And I know you don't like to kill. But it's eating you up inside, Cassie. And Xavier's in town visiting Utopia. All we're asking is that you go and talk to Xavier. Please?"

Again, Cassie sighed. Had this been the old her, she would had told them both to fuck off. But she knew that they both had a point. "Fine. I'll talk to him. Can we please change the subject back to Dad's big retirement from the ring?"

That was the other thing. Seeing as how Johnny couldn't give up fighting altogether, he participated in martial arts tournaments for the past nineteen years. And he had a perfect streak with no losses.

Well, not counting the two losses to Liu (as both men are tied), the loss to Iron Fist, and the ten losses to Kitana (of which Johnny had won four times). And the times he was sparring with Sonya, only for the match to end up as a handicap match when his daughters decide to jump in, with the end result being him on the ground, Sonya seated on his back, and Cassie and Raven gripping a leg each in a Boston Crab.

Those were unofficial matches.

And for Cassie, Professor Xavier was a much better choice for her to talk to. Logan was a close second, but he was back East, having set up shop inside the old Xavier School following the split. Erik was okay in her book. And there's Emma Frost. If there was one person that Cassandra Carlton Cage can't stand, it was the White Queen herself. And the 'blonde twit,' as Cassie called her, wasn't so fond of Cassie either.

Cyclops had his hands full in keeping Emma out of the same room with Cassie. Of course, Erik Lensherr was curious as to how two insanely powerful telepaths would fare if they came to blows.

Fortunately, nearly all of Utopia had their money on Cassie. While Emma can turn her body into a living diamond, Cassie fights dirty.

Unknown to her parents and Ravenna, Xavier knew the truth about her and her family's past. It had been during a visit to the school shortly before her graduation that she had accidentally let certain events slip whilst talking with Xavier, who had caught on almost immediately.

Cassie then told him the truth. About her family's past and flight from Earthrealm. And about the guilt that has been eating at her for so many years. She had sworn Xavier to secrecy, and fortunately, the old man had kept his word. But he was impressed with both Cassie and her parents, and understood as to why she had kept this secret.

"So...nineteen years and you decide to retire," Sonya said.

"Yeah," the Cage patriarch replied. "It was more than enough. Plus, it's starting to get boring. If I want a challenge, I go to either you, the girls, Danny or Liu."

"And you don't think that the retirement party at Portsmouth Square is a bit...overkill?" Ravenna asked.

Johnny grinned. "Overkill is underrated, kiddo." He looked at Sonya. "Trust us. We know from experience. Besides, San Francisco's been good to the company and to our family. It's a joyous occasion that I want everyone to share."

"Pompous, self-centered and deluded," Sonya muttered as she sprinkled salt and pepper on her grits. "Even after all these years."

Johnny grinned. "You still love me for it, babe. Besides, Stark has the self-centered schtick down."

Sonya groaned while Ravenna chuckled. Even Cassie managed to crack a grin at her parents' antics. In spite of their verbal arguments and the occasional invasion, their marriage was more solid than the first one, when Johnny married her upon finding out that Sonya was pregnant following the Netherrealm War.

"So..." Johnny paused to take a pull from his drink, "how are things between you and Simon?"

Simon Williams, better known as Wonder Man. It was no surprise that Cassie was dating the superhero/stuntman. While Simon had his faults, as he was a supervillain in the past, Cassie made sure that he remained honest.

The attraction was there, as they both had technically met back when Simon was with the Mighty Avengers. They met proper during Osborn's Dark Reign, back in Los Angeles. Simon was working in the film industry as a stuntman, and Cassie was on vacation.

The irony was not lost on her parents. Once again, an actor managed to woo a military officer. Technically, Simon was a stuntman. Simon was both intrigued...and smitten, as Cassie was unlike any woman that crossed his path. The fact that Cassie had found someone to make her happy was a bonus. While Simon worked in Los Angeles, San Francisco was his home. Plus, he was moving for a film studio to be built in the city.

Johnny liked the guy. Sonya warmed up to him. Eventually.

Besides, compared to the guys Cassie had dated back in Earthrealm (mostly to piss Sonya off), Simon Williams was a saint.

"I'm on cloud nine," Cassie replied. "He's still rough around the edges, but he's a real sweetie underneath that bad-boy persona.

Johnny nodded. He had made it clear to Simon that while he was all for him dating his daughter, there was a price to pay. Sure Casssie was a grown woman, but he was still her father. Even he has the right to be overprotective at times. Simon had gotten the message loud and clear.

But still, for Cassie, it felt good to have parents who still cared.


	10. 5: The Gathering Storm

**Chapter Five: The Gathering Storm**

Snafu's Notes: For some odd reason, I had Inglorious Basterds on the brain for some of the dialogue between Johnny and Amadeus.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier – Medical Bay.

Sam Alexander's cheek was still stinging from the slap that Carol had given to him. But it served its purpose in knocking him out of his madness. But he was shocked to find out not only was the Phoenix already on Earth, but he had been in a coma for the past three years.

"What have I missed?" asked Sam.

Carol and Cap filled him in, from the S.H.R.A., the Superhero Civil War, the Hulk's Invasion of New York, the Skrulls' Secret Invasion, to Osborn's Asgard Siege and finally, the S.H.R.A.'s repeal and later, the split between Cyclops and Wolverine.

"You guys have been busy," Sam grunted. "The Phoenix...?"

"We have no idea as to where it is," Steve replied.

"Did you have a clue as to who might be the host?"

"We did. Hope Summers," Carol replied. "A telepath in the X-Men. We knew what the Phoenix was, but we needed more information. So we consulted Logan at his school..."

[Flashback]

 _The Jean Grey School For Higher Learning (formerly the Xavier Institute) - Westchester, New York._

 _Inside the Headmaster's Office, James Logan Howlett sat hunched in a chair, hands steepled, listening to what he was told by the Star-Spangled Avenger. The Canadian mutant known as Wolverine was pensive as he remembered his own experiences with the Phoenix Force, and of the ultimate sacrifice that Jean had made in order for her to stop its rampage._

 _"Are you sure?" Logan asked._

 _Cap nodded. "We're sure. Logan, you were there when the Phoenix first came to Earth."_

 _Logan grunted. "Jean did everything in her power to try an' contain it. But when all was said and done...she had to kill herself in order to stop it." He looked at Cap. "She killed herself and that didn't even stop it."_

 _"What about Rachel? Wasn't she a host?"_

 _Logan nodded. "Yeah. And by far, the only one who was able to properly contain the Phoenix."_

 _"It's coming back to Earth, Logan," Cap said. "We need to know where."_

 _"I know where," Logan replied. "Hell, just about everyone in the mutant community knows where it's going."_

 _Cap could only guess. "Utopia."_

 _Again, Logan nodded._

 _"Then I need Scott Summers to work with us. I need both the X-Men and the Avengers to work together on this."_

 _"That thing killed Summers' girl, and along with it, any chance he had at happiness. If the Phoenix is going to be involved, then he's going to have an agenda. I know him better than anyone else. Slim's not gonna let go of things like that."_

 _"Then can I count on you and the school...?"_

 _Logan raised one hand. "I founded this school to keep the kids out of the fighting. The kids stay out of this."_

 _"Can I count on you, then?"_

 _"..." Logan was silent for a brief moment. Rising from his chair, he walked over to the desk and pressed a button on the intercom. "Rachel Grey, report to the headmaster's office immediately."_

 _Minutes later, there was a knock on the door. It opened and in walked one Rachel Grey. "You wanted to see me, Logan?" she inquired._

 _Logan gestured to Cap. "You know Captain America."_

 _Rachel nodded. "I do. So what brings him to our doorstep?"_

 _"The Phoenix Force. It's back."_

 _"I know. I felt its power when it returned here. I just don't know where."_

 _"We believe that the Phoenix Force's host is Hope Summers, and it's only a matter of time before it posesses her," Cap explained._

 _"Rachel, go with him," Logan ordered. "You're our best authority when it comes to the Phoenix. You can make the positive ID if the Phoenix has chosen Hope for its host."_

 _"There is one conclusive way to find out if she is chosen," Rachel said. Turning around, she removed her jacket and the top half of her bodysuit. On Rachel's back, was a tattoo of a phoenix. "Originally, this was the result of a past interaction with the Shi'ar Empire's Death Commandos," she explained. "But the Phoenix has adapted this tattoo as a sign of its intended host." She quickly dressed herself and turned back around. "As a former host, I can find out who is the host of the Phoenix."_

 _Cap nodded. "Very well." He turned to Logan._

 _Logan had cut him off yet again. "I'm hoping that the Phoenix isn't here. Last thing we need is to be fighting over who gets control of the damn thing."_

 _Cap sighed. "Me too."_

[End Flashback]

"We left Logan and departed for the X-Men's Utopia base in San Francisco," Cap explained. "I went on alone, along with Rachel, where I received a cold reception from Cyclops."

[Flashback]

 _Beaches of Utopia, San Francisco._

 _The two men, leaders of their respective groups, stood on the beach, facing one another. The Quintjet was parked several yards away._

 _"Cap."_

 _"Cyclops."_

 _"You're here for Hope."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"She's not the host."_

 _That sentence caught Cap off guard. "What?"_

 _"I know the power of the Phoenix," Cyclops said. "It's something one doesn't forget. Hope isn't the host."_

 _"He's telling the truth," Rachel confirmed, walking over to the two men. "I checked Hope out, and I can't sense the Phoenix from her."_

 _"And the tattoo?" asked Cap._

 _"What tattoo?" Cyclops asked, puzzled._

 _"The chosen host has a tattoo on their back," Rachel explained as she pulled out a photo of her own back tattoo, taken before leaving with Captain America. She handed it to Cyclops. "This is what we're looking for. Hope doesn't have it on her back."_

 _"So she's not the host," Cap surmised._

 _"No. the Mutant Messiah is still out there, somewhere," Cyclops said, looking at the tattoo. "We will find it."_

 _"Not if we find it first," Cap replied._

 _"Okay, guys, calm down," Rachel said before things got out of hand. "Cap, the Phoenix isn't here. That's all we came here for, right?"_

 _Cap looked at Rachel. Then back at Cyclops. "Yeah. It's all we came here for," he said. Then he spoke into his headset. "The Phoenix's vessel isn't here. Hope Summers is not the host."_

 _"Understood," Iron Man replied._

 _"Returning to base. Cap out."_

 _Cap returned to the Quntjet without a word to Cyclops. It was better this way, least he and Cyclops would come to blows. After muttering a word of apology to Cyclops, Rachel ran after him._

[End Flashback]

"Things have been pretty tense between us and the X-Men," Cap explained. "So far, we've been keeping our distance, taking care not to step on each other's toes."

"I see..." Sam muttered. "At least the planet's still here, which means something at least."

Ms. Marvel nodded. "So far, we got nothing. It's as if the Phoenix disappeared once it arrived, as if it knows we're looking for it."

"Six billion people on the planet," Sam muttered, "and one of them could be the Phoenix."

"Stark tried to track the cosmic energies," Cap said. "All we got is that it's somewhere out West. We just don't know where. He can't get a proper read on the damn thing."

"Can he try to either intercept or contain?" Sam asked.

"Knowing Stark, he's gonna damn well try," Carol replied. She then clasped her hand on Nova's shoulder when he tried to get out of the bed. "No. You need to rest, Sam."

"I've rested enough."

"Sam, stay in bed," Cap ordered. "You need to recover your strength. Once we find out who the Phoenix's chosen vessel is, we'll let you know."

Sam sighed. "Fine. At least keep me informed if something comes up."

"Will do," Cap replied, before he and Carol left the room.

* * *

The Cove, San Francisco

It was Sonya's day off. With Cassie and Ravenna hanging around in Utopia for most of the day and Johnny overseeing the preparations for his retirement party, Sonya had the house to herself.

Perfect for her Yoga stretches.

Since she sucked at Tai Chi (yet Johnny and Ravenna loved it), she took up Yoga at her husband's suggestion after Cassie had been born, and fell in love with the class. She had kept up the exercises when she and Johnny divorced the first time around, and after thirty years, kept up the exercises.

Clad in her favorite warm-up clothes, Sonya was out on the outdoor patio, stretching. Given all that has happened in the past couple of years, she earned a little peace and quiet.

"Thought I'd find you here."

Sonya continued to stretch, but she recognized the voice. The voice in question belonged to a woman. She was leaning up against the wall, hands in the pockets of her reddish-brown trenchcoat. Beneath said trenchcoat, she dressed in a simple turtleneck sweater, slacks and boots the same color as the trenchcoat. She was also very attractive, standing around Sonya's height with strawberry blond hair that framed her face. Red-tinted sunglasses hid her eyes, once blue, now solid white, showing that she was blind.

Julia Cornwall. The Second Madame Web.

It had been five years ago when both Sonya and Johnny had met Julia for the first time. Julia had been a member of the West Coast Avengers at the time, and she had saved the lives of several Cage Incorporated employees. Johnny, in a show of gratitude, promised Julia a one-time favor...so long as it was reasonable.

Shortly before the Superhuman Registration Act had passed, Julia had been captured by the Skrulls, but managed to escape. Meanwhile the Skrull impersonating Julia had registered under the Act. While on her way back to Colorado to retrieve her daughter, she found herself being caught up in Sasha Kravinoff's attempts to resurrect her husband, Kraven the Hunter. 'The Grim Hunt,' is what she called it.

While Spider-Man was able to bring the scheme to a halt, Cassandra Webb, the first Madame Web, had been mortally wounded. In her final moments, Madame Web had transferred her powers – telepathy, precognitive and astral projection – into Julia. In becoming the second Madame Web, Julia had lost her sight.

When Rachel, Julia's daughter, fell ill, her kidneys shutting down, Julia had cashed in the favor that Johnny had owed her. Cage Incorporated had been working on an experimental drug that helped repair and revive vital organs. Rachel had been the first test subject. The drug worked, but there was still the matter of the S.H.R.A., of which Julia opposed. Sonya had proposed a solution: Julia would work for her in the Tactical Response Unit, as Sonya made plans of forming a psy-ops team, thus circumventing the registration laws. Julia's name would be registered under the military, but at least she didn't have to register under S.H.I.E.L.D.

Julia worked freelance, but she was still a member of Sonya's unit.

"To what I owe the honor of your visit, Cornwall?" Sonya asked as she continued to stretch.

"Just a friendly warning," Julia replied. "Your husband is going to have a couple of party-crashers for his little shindig later on tonight."

"Who?"

"Aside from Tony Stark...two of the grandmasters of the Red Lotus."

Julia was also the only one in the unit who knew the truth about the Cage Family. Of their origins in Earthrealm and the circumstances leading to their flight from their home realm. Fortunately, Julia had kept their secret. Seeing as how Sonya had kept her from rotting in the Negative Zone and that Cage Incorporated had saved Rachel, it was the least she could do.

Sonya nodded, but continued to stretch. "Will they be a problem?"

"No. As you already know, Liu Kang and Kitana have eyes here in the city."

"So their visiting San Francisco is to check on their interests here, and to crash Johnny's party."

"More or less," Julia confirmed, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'll tell Johnny. But for the moment, we'll do nothing. Liu Kang and Kitana have kept their end of the non-agression pact we have with them for almost twenty years. The only reason why I haven't gone after them is because the Red Lotus primarily targets the evil and the corrupt."

"And what's to be done with Liu Kang and Kitana?"

"Nothing. Only if they cause trouble, will we act. Not before."

"Taking the moral high ground, are we?"

"No. If I know my husband, his party will be populated with various fighters and/or mutants that can squash the both of them without a single thought. Not counting what Cassie and Ravenna can do with the powers of the Phoenix."

"About that," Julia said, "Come tomorrow...the Avengers and the X-Men will know the truth about your daughters being the host."

At that, Sonya stopped stretching. She rose from her mat and faced the telepath. "So what can I expect from the Avengers? That they'll try and snatch up my girls? Or will I see that from the X-Men?"

"Hopefully, it won't come to that," Julia replied. "Everyone is hoping for a diplomatic solution."

"Not with Stark and Danvers," Sonya muttered. "They have a hard time letting things go. And they both hate the fact that we managed to get away with not supporting the Act."

"Or that your family helped Danny Rand and his team in circumventing the Act," Julia added.

"And there's you," Sonya added with a smirk. "How's Rachel?"

"She's happy," Julia replied with a smile. "She complains about the checkups once in a while, but she's happy."

"A kid as young as she is needs a stable upbringing."

Julia chuckled. "Like you're the one to talk."

"I know. I screwed up with Cassie the first time around. At least I was given a second chance with her. Anything else to report?"

"No. That's all. By your leave, Colonel." With that, Madame Web vanished.

Sonya turned from the house and looked out at the beach. It had been three years since the Phoenix's arrival. The fact that it chose Cassie as its host was a shock to her, despite the warnings from Yao. The old man had seen it coming, despite having ascended to a higher plane of existence.

It had been Yao who had split the cosmic energies of the Phoenix between the two sisters; Cassie being the vessel of the Force's dark energies, while Ravenna wielded the light. The tattoos on their backs showed that both girls were the hosts of the Phoenix, with Johnny's warrior bloodline keeping the power in check.

Cassie's flames were of a darker hue, similar to Liu Kang's demonic-charged fireballs back when he was a revenant. Ravenna's flames were more of a reddish-gold taint. Cage Incorporated was the only place that the girls can properly train and hone their skills without being detected by the Avengers of the X-Men.

Now, after three years...

Sonya sighed. 'I really am getting too old for this shit,' she thought as she picked up her Yoga mat and walked back inside the house.

* * *

Portsmouth Square, later.

Portsmouth Square, the heart of Chinatown. For Johnny Cage, the block-wide park had a special place in his heart. Back in Earthrealm, he had shot 'Every Dog Has Its Day' here. And here, aside from the confrontation with Liu Kang and Kitana, it was his favorite place to hang out with Sonya and the girls.

That, and occasionally teach Tai Chi to the locals.

Now, as the afternoon rolled into the evening, the retirement party for Johnny Cage's martial arts career was in full swing, the guest of honor himself having finished up an interview with the local newspaper.

Sonya was by his side, of course, while Ravenna was chatting with her friends, Hope Summers and Illyana Rasputin of the X-Men. Cassie was even trying to enjoy herself, despite the nightmares that plagued her. At least she promised to go to Xavier, as he was in town for a conference, as well as to check up on his X-Men. While he no longer led them, he still felt responsible for them.

The good professor had caught up with Cassie, and the two were catching up on old times. 'Probably speaking about her commission and her gunning for those Captain's bars, no doubt,' he thought. Some of the X-Men were also present, aside from Magik and Hope. Scott Summers was by Emma Frost's side, the latter speaking with the Mayor of San Francisco, Sadie Sinclair.

Johnny had been the first to hire mutants into his company. When asked as to why he had done so, his reply was, "Mutants need to eat too. I will not condemn nor criticize anyone for circumstances beyond their control." For that, the mutant community in San Francisco had a deep respect for the man, which increased upon finding out that his daughters themselves were mutants.

It was a semi-casual affair, as Johnny was a laid-back individual. He was clad in his favorite dark blue shirt (seen in MKX), the sleeves rolled to his elbows, dark slacks and shoes. For once, he was without his signature sunglasses. Sonya, on the other hand, was clad in a simple sundress. Her hair, usually in her signature single braid, was simply pulled back into a ponytail.

Of course, being Sonya, she still had her dogtags and combat boots on. Had it been anyone else, they would have raised a big stink over that. But that was Sonya's style, and Johnny left it at that.

San Francisco has been good to the Cage family for many years. And Johnny was appreciative of that.

Several members of Cage Incorporated and Sonya's Tactical Response Unit were also present. Seated on a bench, sipping on a beverage, was Julia Carpenter, the second Madame Web. Her 12-year-old daughter, Rachel, was chasing after some of her friends. The second was Amadeus Cho, who worked as a lead scientist and researcher for Cage Incorporated. He was also seated on a bench, his girlfriend seated beside him.

Sonya had found it a bit...freaky that Amadeus was dating an actual Gorgon, minus the whole petrify-by-stare thing. If you got around the green skin, golden reptilian eyes and the snakes for hair, Delphyne was actually a nice person, as Johnny vouched for her. Plus, she was an Amazon warrior...even if the schoolgirl-plaid skirt, the wire mesh top and sleeveless black shirt said otherwise.

"Enjoying yourself, babe?" Johnny asked.

"Very much," Sonya replied. "We never really got the chance to do this, you know. Just take in a night on the town. Maybe we can, now that things are now back to normal."

"As normal as it'll get with us..." Johnny started to reply, but was cut off when a man had forcibly brushed up against him. A man, standing around Johnny's height with a muscular build, short blond hair, dressed in a suit sans tie. "Hey! Watch where you're walking!"

The man turned around. "You should watch your mouth, old man," he replied.

"This old man will kick your ass up and down Chinatown," threatened Johnny.

"Make a move, Grandpa."

For a long moment, Johnny and the other man stared the other down. Then they broke out into wide grins and embraced like brothers. "Johnny. Congratulations on your retirement."

"Danny. Glad you decided to come," Johnny replied, releasing the younger man.

Danny Rand, the hero known as Iron Fist, turned to Sonya and embraced her as well. "Colonel. A pleasure as always."

Sonya smiled as she returned the hug. "I'm off the clock, Danny. Sonya's fine." She released him. "How's Luke and Jessica?"

"They both said 'hi,'" Danny replied. "And Dani also says 'hi' as well...well as good as a three-year-old can get," he added in reference to the daughter of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, of which he was also the godfather.

"You went stag?" Johnny asked.

"Of course. I'm married to my job, Cage."

Johnny grinned. "So am I, which makes Sonya my mistress. Which is why I'm still in love with her." Sonya responded by punching him on the arm. "Easy on the shoulder, babe."

"Pray that she doesn't make you scream falsetto like she did Osborn," Danny said.

Johnny Cage and Daniel T. Rand had met three years earlier at a fundraiser in New York City. Johnny didn't know that Danny was the superhero known as Iron Fist, and in turn, Danny didn't know about Johnny being an Earthrealm fugitive alongside Sonya and Cassie.

That changed during Johnny's second visit to New York, in which Danny – as Iron Fist – confronted Johnny Cage alongside Luke Cage. Of course, whatever questions the two Heroes for Hire had for Johnny were derailed with the arrival of Jade via portal, the Emerald Assassin 'requesting' the presence of the K'un Lun warrior by binding not only Danny, but also Luke and Johnny, and whisked them through the portal.

Kitana had greeted the three men upon their arrival at a hidden training grounds used by the Black Lotus. As it turned out, Liu Kang had been the one behind the 'summon,' as he wished to challenge Iron Fist to kombat.

It was also through Liu, that Johnny discovered Danny's identity. But even Johnny – and Luke – had to admit that the fight between the former Shaolin-turned-assassin and Danny was one for the books. Johnny knew that Liu was tough. **Very** tough. After all, he was Raiden's champion before he took the job. But as he found out from Luke, Danny Rand was no pushover.

The match had been tough, but Danny had walked away with the victory. Not only that, but despite being an assassin, Liu had earned Danny's respect, of which Danny himself had returned.

Like Xavier and Julia, both Danny and Luke were privy to the true origins of the Cage family. Of course, Johnny had sworn both men to secrecy, and for good reason, seeing as how he didn't need anymore headaches in regards to the S.H.R.A. and keeping his daughters and himself safe. Rather than tell them about his past, he used a trick he had developed using his inborn powers to show them his past memories.

Suffice to say, Luke and Danny were impressed not only with him, but with also his family's exploits in saving their home. When Luke asked him why he chose not to be a hero, Johnny had replied, "Been there, done that, got the broken bones and almost dying to prove it. I've been a fighter all my life. Now...I'm a protector."

That much was true, Danny realized. When they were on the run following Captain America's death at the end of the Civil War, Johnny had told him about a loophole that Sonya had found in the S.H.R.A., that the Secret Avengers could sign on as 'civilian contractors' for the military, meaning that they would be exempt from registration from S.H.I.E.L.D., as they were employed by the military.

It also kept them out of prison. And Tony Stark's face nearly matched that of his armor.

Danny looked over to Amadeus. "Didn't know that your golden boy has a thing for snakes."

"Delphyne Gorgon," Johnny said. "And before you ask, no, she's not going to turn him or anyone else into stone. I had the chance to talk to her. She's a literal Amazon, but a nice girl."

"Aside from giving the Act the middle finger and helping us," Danny said, "Amadeus Cho was probably the biggest black eye for S.H.I.E.L.D. How did you manage to get Cho to work for you?"

"Well, I've had my eye on him for a while before his parents were murdered," Johnny explained. "Then, S.H.I.E.L.D. started to chase after him, thinking that he was a mutant due to his hypermind. Stark and the others saw a threat. I saw an opportunity."

[Flashback]

 _Knowing that he didn't have a lot of time before S.H.I.E.L.D. would arrive in order to take the boy into custody, Johnny had to pull some strings with his contacts in the San Francisco Police Department. He would have to call in a favor to the Attorney General in order to get Cho's case reviewed should the boy agree to his proposal._

 _Amadeus Cho was already seated inside the interrogation room when Johnny arrived, a paper bag in his hand. After thanking the officer, Johnny was left alone with the teenager. Walking over to the opposite end of the chair, he sat down, placing the bag on the table._

 _"Amadeus Cho," Johnny drawled, "aliases include Mastermind Excello, Freelancer Of All Things Science, and the Tenth Smartest Person On The Planet."_

 _"Seventh," Amadeus corrected._

 _"Dr. Banner says otherwise," Johnny replied._

 _Now, Amadeus was surprised. "You know Bruce?"_

 _Johnny nodded. "I do. He spoke highly of you, Amadeus. I believe you know who I am, right?"_

 _"You're Johnny Cage, Chairman of Cage Incorporated, the 'King of San Francisco,'" Amadeus replied. "So what do you want with me? You're with S.H.I.E.L.D.?"_

 _"I'm insulted, Cho," Johnny said, amused. "My wife and I are not on good terms with Stark and his bunch of misfits. Not after we hid the fact that our daughters are mutants until the Act was thrown out." He folded his hands together. "I have a proposal for you, Amadeus."_

 _"I'm listening."_

 _"First off, I'm a fan of your work," Johnny said. "I've been following your exploits with Hercules for some time now. You have my condolences. Anyway, you show great talent with that hypermind of yours, and I pride myself in having a keen eye for that kind of talent. Something that Stark and Richards lack. But your status in all things science is still amateur." He unclapsed his hands and gently pushed the paper bag forward. "I've come to see if you'd like to go pro."_

 _Amadeus looked at Johnny. Then he looked at the bag. His curiosity getting the better of him, he opened it. Inside was a carton of ice-cold milk and several pieces of walnut fudge._

 _"Chocolate is my wife's one and only vice," Johnny explained. "Aside from Yours Truly, of course. I understand you need sweets for your mind to work."_

 _"It's not pie, but it'll do," Amadeus replied as he broke off a chunk of fudge and began to eat. "You're offering me a job with your company? Why should I agree?"_

 _"The benefits are nice," Johnny said, "Room and board also included. And we can use someone of your skills in the science and biomedical division. Plus, the Attorney General owes me a favor. You agree, I can get Stark and his buddies off your back while the A.G. reviews your case. Give you some breathing room."_

 _Amadeus swallowed a gulp of milk. "And if I say no?"_

 _"Then I'll leave it at that," Johnny said. "But that means that you will have to deal with S.H.I.E.L.D.." He looked at his watch. "And you have less than three minutes before they arrive to take you into custody."_

" _How can I trust you?" challenged Amadeus._

" _I live by a single rule: 'When questioned, always speak the truth. And if you don't want to hear the truth, ask nothing,'" replied Johnny._

 _Amadeus finished off the walnut fudge and milk. "So long as I can still work freelance on the weekend, I accept."_

 _"Deal." With that, Johnny pulled out his phone and dialed a number._

 _Three minutes later, and Amadeus Cho was a free man._

 _And just in time, too, as the S.H.I.E.L.D. envoy led by Susan Richards, arrived at the precinct, just as Johnny exited the building, accompanied by Amadeus._

 _"Top of the morning to you, Sue," Johnny greeted, giving the Invisible Woman a small wave._

 _"Where are you going with him?" Sue demanded._

 _"He's going to orientation, seeing as how Mr. Cho here is the newest employee of Cage Incorporated," Johnny replied._

 _"No he's not. He's a fugitive and I'm here to take him into custody," Sue replied. "Hand him over, Cage."_

 _"I don't think so, Richards," Johnny replied._

 _"Either hand him over, or you will be arrested for obstruction of justice," the Invisible Woman threatened._

 _If anything, Johnny looked amused. "Wait for it..."_

 _"Wait for what, Cage? Quit stalling and hand Cho over..."_

 **BEEP. BEEP.**

 _"I believe that's for you, Sue," Johnny said._

 _Giving Johnny the evil eye, Sue answered her phone. "Richards...yes, I'm at the station now, Stark..." Her expression then turned from anger to disbelief as she looked at Amadeus and Johnny. "What? Impossible, there's no way that Cage can work that fast...! Yes, he's here and he has Cho with him!" Sue then growled, muttering under her breath. "Fine. Richards out."_

 _She ended the call, all the while giving Johnny the most hate-filled glare she could. Amadeus looked concerned, while Johnny looked amused. "Nice glare, but my wife has you beat," Johnny said. "Now, if you don't mind giving the order for your friends to back off, we can be on our way."_

 _"...stand down, all of you," Sue ordered the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "Let them pass. Stark's orders."_

 _The agents backed off, clearing a path for Johnny and Amadeus. With a nod and a "Have a nice day," to Sue, Johnny and Amadeus left the precinct without further incident, Sue glaring at the departing figures as they entered Johnny's car and drove off._

[End Flashback]

"I remember that day," Rand said, chuckling, as Sonya walked off to speak with Julia. "I never knew that Sue could swear up a storm like that. I almost pity Reed."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't see the potential in Amadeus. Instead, they assumed that he was a criminal due to him not registering under the Act," Johnny said. "The kid's no mutant. His mind can be considered to be a hyper-mind. I want to see Amadeus challenged and rewarded, rather than punished."

Rand nodded. "I agree that the situation with Amadeus should have been handled better. I told Stark as much."

"That kid," Tony Stark's voice said from behind both men, "has been a serious thorn in the side of S.H.I.E.L.D. ever since the Act was made law. Just as both you and your wife were."

Johnny and Danny turned around. Sure enough, the Iron Avenger himself was standing there. As the affair was semi-casual, Tony Stark was also in casual dress; a red business shirt, the collar undone, with a black suit jacket and slacks.

If Johnny was surprised, he didn't show it. The relationship between himself and Tony Stark had taken a serious nosedive following the Siege of Asgard, in which it was revealed that Cassie and Ravenna were both mutants following their escape from Osborn. But not before racking up a killcount that included Madame Masque, The Hood, and the architect behind their kidnapping, Zebediah Killgrave – the Purple Man.

It was also discovered that Johnny and Sonya had helped some of the heroes evade capture by using the military loophole in the S.H.R.A., of which the Secret Avengers were also affected. When Tony had discovered who was the culprit behind telling them of that loophole, he was furious.

But he couldn't do anything.

Then came the revelation that not only was Johnny himself had inborn powers – as he would later find out – but also that his daughters also inherited said powers, alongside the fact that they were both mutants.

"Still mad about me and Sonya in regards to the Act, I take it?" Johnny asked, looking amused.

"No. I just don't like being made a fool," Stark replied. "Of which your entire family has done."

"And in epic fashion," Johnny added. "So...here we are. The three most powerful businessmen on the planet, together again. Funny how events can bring us full circle. I hope you're not here to cause trouble, Stark."

"Do you think that you're the only one with business interests here in San Francisco, let alone on the West Coast?" Stark replied. "If I wanted to cause trouble for you, Cage, you wouldn't see it coming."

"Be careful when you speak of trouble," a female voice said, one which Johnny and Danny recognized almost instantly. "For it may come from when you least expect it."

The three men turned to the source of the female voice. Tony Stark's jaw literally dropped to the floor, while despite the poker faces of Johnny Cage and Iron Fist, both men were worried – Johnny despite Sonya's warning – and for good reason.

Kitana was standing there.

In the mind of Anthony Stark, he was looking upon what he could consider the most beautiful woman on the planet. She had an exotic look to her, tilted eyebrows and delicate coloring. Her body was for lack of a better term...perfect, Tony guessing that she stood at least five-ten.

The Edenian assassin was dressed to kill in a black cheongsam with a blue rose motif that showed off her figure and showed plenty of leg. Aside from the blue eyeliner, she wore no makeup. Her hair was done in traditional Edenian fashion; dual braids and a bun, the braids secured with a pair of lacquered chopsticks, the bangs framing her face. Johnny and Danny noticed that the small golden headpiece was absent.

"Johnny Cage. Daniel Rand," Kitana greeted. "How nice to see the both of you again."

"Please be looking for me," Stark said, in awe of the assassin's beauty.

"I'd steer clear of her, Stark," Danny warned. "She's dangerous."

Stark turned to his fellow Avenger/business rival. "I like my women with a bit of danger to them," he replied. Turning back to Kitana, he introduced himself, extending his hand. "Tony Stark."

Kitana shook it. "I know who you are. Your reputation proceeds you, Mr. Stark."

"Tony's fine. And you are?"

"Kitana Kahnum," Kitana introduced herself.

Johnny cocked an eyebrow, his expression reading 'Kahnum? Seriously?'

"Kahnum? A play on the word 'Kahn?'" Tony asked. "Interesting name."

"But it's mine," Kitana replied.

"And what is a delicate flower like yourself doing in San Francisco?" Stark asked.

"Oh..." Kitana paused to draw out a fan. Fortunately, it wasn't her signature bladed fans, but rather a normal-looking fan. "...my husband and I have certain interests here in the city. Aside from that, we both have, shall we say, an 'intimate connection' with the Cage family."

'If you call an intimate connection being slain, transformed into a revenant and revived,' Danny thought.

"So you know Johnny and his family?" Tony asked.

"You have no idea," Johnny replied. "And where is Liu?"

Kitana turned her head. The three men followed suit. There, speaking with one of the younger city councilmen, clad in a formal Chinese-style clothing (think Jet Li from Lethal Weapon 4), hair pulled back into a ponytail, was Liu Kang.

"So that's your husband?" Tony asked.

Kitana nodded, smiling. "Yes."

"So...what exactly do you and your husband do?" Tony asked, still smitten by the assassin.

"Liu is the grandmaster of the Wu Shi Academy, a martial arts school in China, while I am the headmistress of the Wu Shi Orphanage. Councilman Chow was a former orphan there." Kitana then turned to Danny. "Mr. Rand, when you get the chance, my husband would like to have a word with you."

Danny looked at Liu, who was still talking with the councilman. "I guess it would be impolite not to refuse such an offer," he said.

Kitana smiled. Then she turned back to Tony and Johnny. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to have words with Mr. Cage."

Once both men had departed; Tony leaving the park and Danny approaching Liu, Kitana turned back to Johnny, who said, "The Wu Shi Academy? Liu's becoming nostalgic for the good old days as a Shaolin?"

"It surprised me as well," Kitana replied. "Goes to show that old habits die hard."

"So what? The Red Lotus has connections here in the city as well?"

Johnny, Sonya and Cassie knew of the Red Lotus, and of who was running the show. The only reason why they were not going after them was that Liu, Jade and Kitana's primary targets were corrupted officials, pedophiles and exploiters of children. So far, the non-aggression pact between the former revenants and the Cage family was still in effect.

"Of course. How else were we able to discover that you were retiring from the ring?" Kitana began to fan herself. "Although...your 'perfect record' isn't as clean as it appears."

"I know. The people don't need to know that detail."

"There's the loss to Liu Kang..."

"...of which I also won in the rematch..."

"...and I've also bested you before, Cage..."

"...I was being nice those ten times. I've won against you as well."

"Your daughter was more of a challenge than you."

"Now that's hurtful, Kitana. And when did you fight Cassie?"

"About two months ago. She owed me a rematch from the Sky Temple. I won."

"Cassie showed restraint."

"I know, her being a mutant and all." Kitana cocked her head. "Your daughters, now looking back, are very impressive, Cage, despite their parents."

Johnny frowned. "I don't know if I should take that as an insult or a compliment."

"Try compliment. Had it been up to me, given that while Cassandra shows restraint, but has no qualms about getting her hands bloody, from what I've seen her and Ravenna do onboard Osborn's Helicarrier. I would have tried recruiting her into the Red Lotus."

"Sonya wouldn't go for that, and neither would I."

"I know. Liu wouldn't go for it either."

Johnny scoffed. "He has no problems facing me in kombat, yet he's against Cassie joining your merry band of assassins. At least he said no."

"Well, at least you're taking our presence well," Kitana noted. "And here, I thought you would freak out upon seeing the both of us here."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Sonya has a psy-ops squad within the Tactical Response Unit. We knew you were coming."

"And you allowed us to come?" Kitana asked.

"The way Sonya and I figured, if you and Liu wanted to kill us, then you'd done it long ago."

Kitana smiled meanly. "We could be merely biding our time, Cage."

"And we would see it coming. Besides, despite you and Liu being hired killers, we've both honored the agreement made between us."

"That much is true. But if the Tactical Response Unit does come after us...then all bets are off."

"I'd be more worried about S.H.I.E.L.D. than Sonya's unit. You haven't killed any American military official."

Kitana grinned. "Yet."

* * *

With Liu and Danny...

"Johnny seems to be holding his own against my wife," Liu noted as he and Danny watched the verbal sparring session between the former actor and the assassin. "It appears that I owe Kitana dinner."

"Johnny is a lot tougher than most people think," Danny replied. "Of which you know as well."

"He is an annoying buffoon, but I cannot deny that he is skilled in martial arts," Liu admitted. "Both him and Sonya."

"A trait which they passed down to their children."

Liu nodded. "Kitana and I know that their children can fight, of which Kitana knows of this first-hand."

"Are you talking about the rematch between Kitana and Cassie? Or in Earthrealm when Cassie was a mere Sergeant and Kitana was a revenant?" Danny asked in a low tone.

Liu slowly turned to Danny. "So you know about our past."

"And the reason why as Johnny fled Earthrealm alongside his family. I didn't find out until after our first fight. Johnny said that if I won our match, then he would come clean, on the condition that I keep it secret." A sardonic grin crept upon the superhero's face. "As a hero and Avenger, you tend to take things by faith. Johnny took it a step further by showing us his memories."

"I guess there is no reason in denying it," Liu said. "I was the original champion before I...died. Then I was brought back as a revenant alongside Kitana and several others. It was only after Shinnok's defeat that Jade was able to free us from Quan Chi's curse. Although I am surprised that S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't at our doorstep. Is that your doing?"

"Oh, S.H.I.E.L.D. is aware of the Red Lotus," Danny replied. "Just that we have more important matters to deal with. The Red Lotus hasn't killed any S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives, and hopefully, that policy still continues."

Liu grunted. "The Red Lotus is the best at what we do. Just not the most famous. We like to keep it that way."

"But...in spite of you being an assassin, I do have some form of respect towards you as a warrior," Danny admitted. "And I must admit that our match was by far one of the best fights I've been in a long time. Johnny Cage himself being a close second. If you want your rematch...then I'll be happy to oblige you."

At that, Liu grinned. "I may cash in on that challenge soon, Rand."

* * *

The Sky Temple, Earthrealm.

A lot has changed in Earthrealm in the past three years since the 'deaths' of Johnny Cage, his daughter and ex-wife.

Kano didn't buy that story no more than Raiden have. After all, Sonya Blade wasn't dead because he didn't kill her, and he deserved payback for what she had done to him following their brawl in the Refugee Kamp. Had it not been for the fact that Sonya could not kill him and risk her career, but he also knew where Shinnok's Amulet was located.

The Black Dragon chieftain had been approached by the dark thunder god himself following the departure of the Cage family with an offer he couldn't refuse: a general amnesty for past crimes - including stealing Shinnok's amulet - in exchange for his services. Refusal meant the one thing that Sonya or Johnny couldn't do: death for him and the extermination of the Black Dragon.

Wisely, Kano accepted.

Since then, he made Fort Charles - the former home of S-F - his main base. That was, of course, after he and the Black Dragon clan had slaughtered its operatives down to the last man, Kano himself having slain Colonel Flagg after he had destroyed the portal embarkation room, while Raiden had killed Secretary Blake.

This was, of course, after Raiden had bested Kotal Kahn's champions in Mortal Kombat, and absorbed Outworld into Earthrealm.

Working with a corrupted thunder god had its perks. But what he really wanted was the brainwashed charges of Cassie's team as members of the Black Dragon. Raiden refused, as he had his own plans for the trio...as well as their respective parents and masters.

The former members of Team S-F served as bodyguards for Raiden, while Subzero, Scorpion and Jax served as his generals.

Kenshi was dead, slain in battle by Kotal Kahn, having been cleaved in two by his macuahutil, with the usurper Kahn having been slain by Raiden himself. He did, however, take sadistic pleasure in murdering Vera Briggs, the wife of Jax and mother to Jacqueline Briggs, framing the Tarkarta for the murder. The Red Dragon have been slain, with Taven and his dragons on the run from the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu.

All in all, it was a damn good time to be a member of the Black Dragon.

Then, he was summoned to the Sky Temple.

Kano had been here a couple of times, the last time was to help in subduing Fujin, the God of Wind having objected to Raiden's dark and cruel nature. His powers were drained, and he was rotting away in a cell in Seido, unable to die due to his immortality.

And then, there was the Shadow Priest that Raiden had on his payroll...

He had arrived in Earthrealm following its absorbing Outworld, offering his services to the dark thunder god. Raiden would have refused, had it not been for a piece of information that he had given him: Jade, Kitana and Liu Kang were alive, and had fled the Netherrealm.

Almost immediately, Raiden had retained the Priest's services, and had given him a specific task: find not only the former revenants, but also the fugitive Cage family as well. Failure would not be tolerated.

Speaking of said priest and thunder god, both were waiting for him inside the Jinsei Chamber, still raidiating its vibrant blue. Standing nearby, watching the events unfold, were the brainwashed members of Team S-F, the corruption having been reinforced with the Shadow Priest's sorcery. While most of them haven't changed in appearance, Takeda wore the Shirai Ryu headband over his right eye, having lost it in Mortal Kombat. Even while corrupted, the young kombatants did not trust Kano.

"Honey, I'm home!" Kano greeted in his thick Outback accent.

"Took you long enough," the Priest replied.

"Oi! You know how long a climb those bloody stairs are from the ground to the temple proper?" Kano shot back.

"That's enough, Kano," Raiden intoned. "I have brought you here to serve my will."

"Yeah, yeah, make it quick. I got engagements to keep, Raiden," Kano spat.

Raiden's impassive face twisted into a malicious grin. "Our missing friends have been found."

Kano's eyebrow raised. "So you found Mama Blade?"

"Her ex-husband and daughter as well, along with the former revenants, Liu Kang, Princess Kitana and Jade."

"On second thought..." Kano replied. "My schedule's just been cleared."

"I thought that might interest you," Raiden said.

"Edenian sorcery is easy to track, once you know what you're looking for," the Priest explained. "Jade had left a trail. Now, I know where they are."

"Which is...?" Kano prodded.

"An alternative Earth. Similar to this one, but not the same. As it turns out, Johnny Cage and his family has fled there as well."

Kano grinned evilly. "So...orders?"

"You are to take two squads of the Black Dragon and retrieve Cassandra Cage," Raiden ordered. "Unharmed, if possible."

"And what is to be done with Papa Cage and Mama Blade?"

"They both are to be killed at your discretion," Raiden replied.

Kano's grin widened. "Music to my ears. I'll rally the troops." With a mocking bow, Kano left the chamber.

The Priest then turned to Raiden. "And what is to be done with the former revenants?"

Raiden took a moment to think about that. "They are too big of a threat," he replied. "You will go to this alternative Earthrealm and kill them. A squad of Tarkarta will accompany you."

The man removed his hood. Raiden stared back into the face of the Shadow Priest. Chinese in origin, but a native to Outworld, muscular, with dark hair that was tied back into a ponytail, the sides lined with gray streaks. He was sinister in his appearance, and the goatee didn't help much in his appearance.

Had any of the kombatants who knew him in the past saw him, they would recognize him almost instantly.

"Lord Raiden," Shang Tsung began, "it will be my pleasure."


	11. 6: Revelations

**Chapter Six: Revelations**

Snafu's Notes: Decided to post this several weeks early (that, and I lost a bet with my cousin in regards to posting this early), as I plan on working on the next omake for this.

The following day...

Utopia - the island home of the X-Men.

Before that, it was known as Asteroid M, an orbital space station that Erik Lensherr used as his base of operations back in the days when he was a mutant terrorist. However, the base was destroyed in a battle with the original members of the X-Men when somebody had accidentally initiated the self-destruct sequence.

Under Cyclops' orders, Asteroid M was brought forth from its watery grave outside of San Francisco. Following the split between himself and Wolverine, Cyclops had moved those who supported him there. Utopia was less than perfect in its inception, but it was off of American soil, and thus, was safe from persecution at the hands of the government, particulary Norman Osborn and his H.A.M.M.E.R. forces.

Of course, there was the problem with water and food. That was where Ravenna Cage came in. A former student of Xavier's Institute, she – along with Cassie – had devised a water purification system for the island. The mayor of San Francisco, Sadie Sinclair, authorized food supply drops to the island on a regular basis. Johnny Cage had donated some of Cage Incorporated's tech to help get the island up and running.

To keep the island from sinking back into the ocean, Magneto had approached Namor with a proposal: that he built a large support pillar that not only kept the island from sinking back into the ocean, but also act as a new home for the Sub-Mariner's scattered people. Namor agreed to the proposal and as a result, New Atlantis was born.

Today, Utopia was visited by the aforementioned Cage siblings, but for different reasons. The elder was here to speak with a mentor of hers at the behest of her parents, while the younger was here to visit and train with her friends.

* * *

Ravenna Carlton Cage did not look the least bit worried. Not even when the other two girls had her surrounded, one of them armed, the other was not.

In fact, she looked amused.

As she came up in the Xavier Institute, she was quite familiar with the X-Men. Like her elder sister, she was a telepath, and even was invited to join the X-Men. But she refused. She, alongside Cassie, were the lucky ones to retain their powers following M-Day.

The woman to her left was about her age. Russian in origin, with blond hair, not as long as her mother's own, but long none the less. While she was dressed in a sleeveless T-shirt with the words **DAZZLER WORLD TOUR** emblazoned on the front and a pair of track pants, the one thing that seemed out of place was the metallic gauntlet that had encased the entire length of her left arm.

Said hand was holding a sword. The sword was of the Russian's woman on creation, created during her time when she was trapped in Limbo. The blade was in its most basic design - a longsword, reminding Ravenna of Excalibur.

The woman's name was Illyana Nikolivena Rasputina. Or in English, Illyana Rasputin.

The woman to her right was also about her age, with shoulder-length red hair and green eyes, wearing only a simple tanktop, shorts and tennis shoes. Her background was...complicated, to say the least. She had been the first mutant born after M-Day, the destruction of Cerebra heralding her arrival. The sole survivor of her hometown being destroyed by the Purifiers, Cable had saved her life. After a series of events that cultivated with a battle between the Marauders, the X-Men, and Predator X, Cyclops had allowed Cable to take the baby with him to the future.

Trained in combat and firearms alongside her own mutant abilities, which turned out to be known as pluripotent echopraxia. Simply put, she could perfectly duplicate the power-signature of mutants that are physically near her. Aside from that, she was also a telepath like Cassie and Ravenna.

She was supposedly the original Mutant Messiah before the Phoenix chose Cassie and Ravenna. Hope Summers.

Cassandra Cage looked down at her sister and her two friends. While Ravenna was friends with both Hope and Illyanna, she was a former mentor to Illyana. Magik, as she was called, was a sorceress as well as a mutant. The Sorceress Supreme of Limbo, this Earth's version of the Netherrealm. She was also a borderline sociopath due to the years spent in Limbo (while mere seconds passed on Earth).

Cassie had been Magik's mentor. As she had been corrupted in the past with the Blood Code, she recognized the signs in Ravenna's friend. The two girls shared a bond due to the darkness in their souls, moreso for Magik. While Raven taught Hope to fight, it had been Cassie who trained Magik in kombat.

Of course, when it came to swordplay, Magik had cheated and used her sorcery to learn how to fight with the sword.

And in turn, Magik saw Cassie as a surrogate elder sister. Sure she had Piotr, but he didn't understand her. Not the way that Cassie did. So much so that she had confessed to Cassie that she had planned on making her brother the next Juggernaut, not only to make him understand what damnation truly felt like, but to convince him that she was not worthy of his love and care.

Cassie, thankfully, had talked her out of that plan.

 _"Petey loves you, Illyanna. You are his sister. I know what it's like, having the corruption eat away at you, every single day an attempt to keep the darkness at bay. It's one of the reasons why I joined the military, to protect those who can't protect themselves. Don't throw your relationship with your brother away over a grudge."_

 _"You have parents that love you. Raven adores you."_

 _"My relationship with Mom wasn't as good in the past. We get along now...but back when I was younger...much younger...it was strained. Learn from my mistakes and don't repeat them."_

When Illyanna had asked her what she meant, Cassie had remained silent on the matter.

Since then, both Magik and Peter have been getting along better, after Magik had confessed her scheme to her brother. Colossus had forgiven her.

For Raven, she and Hope had bonded over the fact that despite their families, they were outsiders. Hope didn't know about Raven's family being refugees from Earthrealm, but Raven knew of Hope's past and her horrific childhoof growing up in a desolate future. Raven had accompanied Hope to the ruins of her Alaskan hometown, along with Rogue, Cypher and Doctor Nemesis, hoping to find any survivors of her family.

Instead, Ravenna had found herself on a wild goose chase alongside Hope and the others, searching for the Seven Lights. Out of the Seven, they had found six, with the seventh committing suicide.

As Cassie had done with Magik, Ravenna had became a mentor of sorts to Hope. But in the end, both girls became the best of friends with the younger Cage.

Now, both Hope Summers and Illyana Rasputin were not friends with Ravenna at the moment.

Ravenna had wondered as to why she had packed her workout clothes - a pair of shorts and a black sleevless shirt with the words **KILL YOU!** emblazoned on the back. Her hair was tied back into a short ponytail, the dyed red bangs framing her face. Now, she knew why.

Normally, this would be a three-on-one match, with Cassie being the one. But Cassie was only present as she wanted to speak with Xavier.

Speaking of her elder sister, she stood above them on a balcony overlooking the training yard. Cassie was dressed in casual attire, hair pulled back in her signature bun. A pair of Avators covered her azure eyes.

The elder Cage didn't have to wait for long for the match to begin.

Magik had attacked first, with Raven ducking under Soulsword's swing, which was followed by Ravenna side-stepping Hope's jab. Grabbing Magik, Hope used her impromptu human shield to intercept Hope's incoming fist to her forehead, causing the Russian teen to yelp in pain, which was followed by her cursing in Russian.

Still holding onto Magik, Ravenna leaped into the air, and dropkicked Hope, before flinging Magik to the ground. Hope quickly recovered, and went on the attack.

One thing about the Cage family was when they fought, it was profession and direct. No fancy moves, no wasted movement. Hope wanted to see if she could beat her teacher without using her powers, while Magik had a score to settle with the younger Cage.

But all three girls were thankful that Cassie wasn't involved. For Ravenna, she was worse than Sonya in most cases when it came to martial arts training, a sentiment shared with Hope and Magik.

Ravenna ducked under Hope's backfist, then she shifted her feet so that the follow-up punch only brushed up against her shoulder, and ducked under the right cross. Ravenna then bent backwards to avoid the roundhouse to her head, recognizing the attack pattern as one that Cassie used.

Cassie frowned, as she recognized the attack pattern as well.

Ravenna's leg caught Hope's in a leg sweep, knocking the girl to the ground. As Ravenna stood back up, Magik attacked again, having recovered, forcing Ravenna on the defensive. She would had used her stepping disks and her sorcery, but Cassie had forbade it. Soulsword was perfectly fine, which also meant that Ravenna could also use her own weaponry.

She had learned how to create psionic weapons from Psylocke, and her weapon of choice was a Japanese Masamune. Her father had one hanging on a rack inside his office; a gift from the managers of the Tokyo Office several years earlier.

Like the one that had materialized in her hand. A Masamune, created from Ravenna's psionic energies. Unlike Psylocke's which was purple, Ravenna's had a pinkish tint. The trick was not to use the Phoenix's energies, as that wold give both her and Cassie away.

The blades clashed, one made of psionic energy while the other being the manifestation of the wielder's soul. Both Cassie and Ravenna had to admit that Magik was skilled in the blade. As a sorceress, she managed to learn about swordplay at a rapid rate. But so did Ravenna, as both Kitty Pryde and Elizabeth Braddock had taught her the art of swordplay.

Johnny would joke that they had raised a little ninja, rather than a daughter.

Unfortunately, that brought back a memory from her past. A scowling Shirai Ryu grandmaster whose codename came from his uncanny skills with the kunai. He was also a master of the sword as well. Back when she was in Earthrealm (and a Sergeant), her father had sent her team on a two-week long training trip to the Shirai Ryu temple, leaving them at the mercy of the ex-revenant.

After the training from hell in Seido, the Shirai Ryu's training regimen was to her, a vacation.

Cassie sighed. It wasn't her fault that she had to leave Earthrealm, but the burden fell onto her father, as he made the decision to retreat. But she did feel responsible for leaving her friends behind.

"Your sister seems to be enjoying herself."

Cassie's revierie/semi self-loathing session was interrupted with the arrival of three more people. The first two, she really didn't mind. The third, however, she wanted nothing more to do than to telekinetically strangle the bitch.

She had a bit of history with Scott Summers. While she had spent her second childhood at the Xavier Institute, she spent the first month and a half of summer vacation at the school when her family returned back West. They were friends, herself, Scott and Jean. While she found Scott to be cute, Cassie saw that he had eyes for her fellow telepath.

When Cyclops and Wolverine had split over their differences in regards to the surviving children, Cassie saw that both men had a point, but the children should be given a choice as to how they want to live their lives. She didn't get that choice when she was a teenager, as she was forced into her family's legacy when the Black Dragon had kidnapped both her and Jacqui, thus starting the Blood Code incident.

Cassie turned to the elderly man. "Normally, I'd tell her that kombat isn't for sport, but she knows that already, Erik."

"You always was such the taskmaster, Cassandra," Erik replied.

"I'm surprised to see that you're not down there thrashing your sister and her two friends," Emma Frost said. Smirking, she added, "Worried about damaging your expensive sunglasses?"

Cassie sniffed. "No. More worried about putting on all my clothes, unlike you."

"Obviously, you're merely jealous of my beauty and my physique, which I have no problem flaunting."

"No, my problem with you is that you think your so high and mighty. I thought you'd gotten over that from your Hellfire Club days."

"That was a long time ago, Cage. Scott can tell you that I've reformed."

"And many other things, I'll bet," Cassie said, glancing at the visor-wearing man.

Scott Summers looked down at the two-on-one fight. "There's too many openings in Hope's defense," he said.

"I know," Cassie replied. "Ravenna had taught her better than that. But she's falling back into her old habits. I was the same when my parents first taught me."

"Goes to show that you're not Little Miss Perfect," Emma taunted.

Before Cassie could retort with an expletive-laden reply directed at the former villainess, Cyclops played peacemaker. "Emma. That's enough."

Emma smirked, knowing that she had gotten under Cassie's skin. But Cassie took the time to deliver her own response towards the White Queen. "When all is said and done, between you and me...I'm the more powerful mutant between us."

That made Emma's smirk disappear. "I'd be inclined to disagree with that boast, Cage."

"Not a boast. Just fact." Her smile then grew sinister, her tone saccharine as she dramatically pulled down her Aviators so that Emma could see her eyes. "If you want...we can test that theory right now if you'd like."

Emma didn't like the tone in Cassie's voice. Usually when Cassie spoke in that tone, violence would ensue. And she had heard what she had done to Madame Masque when both her and Ravenna were kidnapped. And Emma knew that Cassie had no problem in fighting dirty.

Cassie's fighting style could be summed up in four words by Cyclops: "No mercy, no quarter."

"I'll pass," Emma said, trying to keep her cool, but deep down, Cassandra Cage scared her. It was like provoking a sleeping dragon.

Cassie pushed up her shades back on her face. "Smart move, Frost," she said before turning back to the fight. After a moment, Cassie opened a mental link to the three girls down below. ' **Stop!** '

Ravenna, Magik, and Hope did so and faced the elder Cage. Meanwhile, Emma had also opened up a link, allowing both Erik and Cyclops to listen in.

' **Hope, you're putting too much strength into your shoulders,** ' Cassie noted. ' **That's why you can't follow up your attack patterns, and your attacks are becoming predictable. When you become predictable, you make mistakes. Let your strength flow through your entire body.** '

Hope nodded. ' **Okay.** '

Cassie turned to Magik. ' **Illyanna, you're favoring your left side too much. You know how to fight bare-handed because I taught you alongside Raven. Mix up your attacks.** '

Magik nodded and gave the older woman a salute with Soulsword.

' **Hey! Why are you helping them?!** ' Ravenna shouted. ' **I'm your sister! You should be rooting for me!** '

' **And there's you,** ' Cassie replied, the light reflecting off her Aviators as she looked at her younger sister. ' **You favor style over substance, Raven. Substance is the way to go.** '

' **But having both is better,** ' Ravenna defended.

' **Trust me. I know from experience,** ' Cassie replied. To the three girls, she said, ' **Your powers don't define you. There are people out there – mutant and human alike – that are looking for ways to take your powers away. How are you going to fight them then, when you've done nothing but use your powers as a crutch? I've trained you to be better than that, Ravenna, as did Mom and Dad. And you've trained Hope to do the same, while I did the same for Magik.** '

"No truer words ever been said," Erik noted. "Charles is ready for you, Cassandra. He's in the headmaster's office."

Cassie nodded her thanks and turned from the three girls, ending the mind link.

' **Pompous little pedant,** ' Emma thought, a final parting shot.

Cassie's response to Emma was the one-finger salute as she walked inside the compound, not breaking stride.

* * *

Inside the headmaster's office, Cassie sat on the couch, while Charles Xavier poured both himself and Cassie a cup of tea. "It's fortunate that you caught me while I was here, Cassandra," he said as he handed the steaming mug of liquid to the elder Cage. "I'm only in town attending a conference, and decided to check in on Scott and the others."

Cassie accepted the mug with a nod of thanks and took a sip. "The X-Men's been hit pretty hard, these past years, with the Decimation and Wolverine's falling out with Summers," she said. "You know that Logan is right."

"I know. Scott has lost so much these past years," Xavier said. "Jean...the Decimation...and I know that Logan is right. But Scott is right as well."

"But raising children to become soldiers, Professor...they should at least be given that choice when they reach legal age," Cassie said. "It's okay to teach them how to defend themselves, but child soldiers stand a better chance of snapping under pressure."

Xavier nodded. "I know. Surprisingly enough, Emma agrees with you."

Cassie scoffed. "Surprised the Ice Queen agrees with me on anything."

The elder telepath took a seat opposite from Cassie. "So...to what I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Nightmares are getting worse, Professor."

"Shujinko?"

Cassie nodded.

Professor Xavier was privy to Cassie's true past due to a slip of the tongue by Cassie several years ago. When Xavier pressed for answers, Cassie told – or rather, showed – him the truth about her and her family's past, that she, Johnny and Sonya were Earthrealm refugees and heroes who saved their world, only to be forced to flee when Raiden became too powerful. Xavier was impressed.

"I know that it wasn't my fault, but the guilt is eating away at me," Cassie continued. "I got no problem in getting my hands dirty, Professor. I'm a soldier and it's expected, but I don't like to kill unless it's a last resort or if my family and friends are threatened. But Shujinko was an innocent man. Raiden lied to me, played with my emotions in order for me to take the old man out."

"The old you would have been cursing up a storm," Xavier said.

"I'm older...and a lot wiser. You can say that I've become more somber as well. I've accepted that now."

"You feel a sense of guilt."

Cassie nodded. "Aside from Shujinko...my former teammates. Uncle Jax, and the others. Dad and I was only able to bring Mom with us. We left them behind to the whims of a madman."

"Sometimes, to become a leader, you have to lose," Xavier said in a sage-like tone.

Cassie chuckled dryly. "Oh, believe me, I've lost plenty."

"As have I. Is that why you're so protective of Ravenna?"

"Raven would tease me, saying that I'm more of a mother than Sonya. But she knows I care for her. I can lead a team, but I prefer working alone."

"Is that one of the reasons why you chose not to join the X-Men?"

"Several."

Xavier took a sip of his own mug of tea. "I can understand why you chose not to join, Cassandra, and I'm not upset. It was your choice, after all. May I offer a suggestion?"

Cassie nodded. "Shoot."

"Have you ever tried forgiving yourself?" Xavier posed. "Maybe that's all you need to do in order for you to move on and put your demons to rest."

"Probably the hardest thing I've ever did." Cassie shifted in her seat.

"It wouldn't hurt to try. At least if you faced your demons and come to terms over Shujinko, then you would be more at peace with yourself. 'Sometimes, the most difficult of problems requires a practical solution.' Your words, not mine."

"Using my words against me, Professor?" Cassie asked with a small grin.

Xavier chuckled. "It worked, didn't it?" His expression fell. "Have you slept any?"

"Now and then. I fall asleep, I relive me killing Shujinko. I've been up all night. And no, I don't take any pills of any kind to help me sleep. Who knows what kind of side effects they have."

"Have you tried blocking the memories using your powers?"

Cassie's expression fell. "Well, shit. I can do that?"

Xavier nodded. "It works for a short while. Maybe a few days. But the nightmares will return. Sooner or later, you will have to face your past."

"Running from it is a lot easier for me, if only for the week. Once this week is done, I can sleep with no problem."

"Still unhealthy, Cassandra. But you look like you could use some sleep."

Cassie yawned. "Don't remind me. I feel like I can sleep for a good eighteen hours or so."

"Maybe you should get your sister to take you back home so you can sleep."

"Reading my mind again, Professor?"

"No. You're just that easy," Xavier replied, smiling.

Cassie sighed. "You are so lucky that I respect you, Xavier," she muttered. A brief search of her sister and she found out where she was. 'Raven...can you drop me off at Mom and Dad's so I can get some rest?'

'Sure,' was the reply. 'I'm in the shower now.'

"Well, that was easy," Cassie mused as she finished her tea and stood up. "Thanks for listening, Professor."

"Any time, Cassandra."

* * *

In the womens' locker room...

Hope Summers and Illyana Rasputin had already finished their showers and were dressed when Ravenna emerged from the shower stall, a towel wrapped around her body and the other around her head.

The sparring session had ended in a victory for Ravenna, but after Cassie's words of encouragement, the younger Cage had to work for it. While Ravenna had balked over Cassie interfering in the match, she was grateful for the challenge that her friends were giving her.

"There you are," Illyana childed. "Any longer, and you'd be a prune."

"Ha ha. Very funny, Rasputin," Ravenna said as she walked over to her locker. "And I thought mutant sorcerers didn't have any sense of humor."

Hope simply shook her head. There was a camaraderie, a bond that these three had shared. They bickered and argued like sisters, but they always had each other's backs. While Ravenna wasn't an X-Man, she did take part in the team exercises.

"I'm not just any sorceress, Cage," Illyana replied.

"I know," Ravenna said as she opened her lockerm located right across the Russian-born mutant's own. "You're the Sorceress Supreme of Limbo, and Ruler of Limbo...and a borderline sociopath."

"Coming from you, Cage, I'll take that as a compliment," Illyana said. "Just be fortunate that I'm a good guy."

"Good guys can be sociopaths too," Hope said as she tied her shoes. "Wade Wilson, for one."

Ravenna guffawed. "Deadpool? Seriously? That freaky-ass merc made the mistake of grabbing Cassie's ass a while back."

"Bet your sister didn't like that, didn't she?" Hope said.

Ravenna had been with Cassie when it had happened. It was a family outing, a weekend trip to Seattle. Cassie knew that the Merc With The Mouth had a hard time dying, and didn't pull her punches.

Wade had his jaw smacked off its hinges by Cassie's baton. Then, to add insult to injury, Cassie posed for a selfie with Deadpool (who had given a thumbs-up, despite his jaw being obliterated), of which she posted on her Friendbook page. The photo had ended up with over 300 likes and reposts.

Wade had sent Cassie a thank-you card several days after, as he had spent the week with Mistress Death as a result.

As Ravenna's back was turned towards Illyana, the blonde sorceress had noticed the elegant tattoo that covered the length of Ravenna's back. As the showers had seperate stalls, Illyana didn't notice it. "Wow. Nice ink, Raven."

Raven, who had gotten a pair of panties on, turned her head towards Illyana. "You like it? I got it three years ago alongside Cassie."

Illyana guffawed. "You got a tattoo when you were fifteen? I'll bet Papa Cage and Mama Blade were pissed when they found out."

Hope, having finished tying her shoes, looked up. Fortunately for her, neither Illyanna nor Raven had noticed her green eyes nearly bugging out of her skull, as she recognized the tattoo almost instantly.

The tattoo of the Phoenix.

"I was grounded for a month when they found out," Ravenna said. "Cassie got it the worst. She got three weeks' worth of PT, Special Forces style."

Hope's heart was pumping in her chest. But she managed to calm herself down to ask the following question: "What kind of tattoo is that?"

"The Phoenix," Ravenna replied as she slipped a shirt over herself covering the tattoo.

Hope nearly fainted. But she kept her composure as Ravenna dressed. "So...are we still on for tonight?" Ravenna asked.

"Can't," Hope replied, silencing Illyana with a glare. "Cyclops is being a hard-ass for some odd reason or another. No one leaves the island."

"He really should lighten up," Ravenna replied, oblivious as to what was going on as she finished dressing. "Oh well. I need to drop Cassie off at the house anyway."

Once Hope was sure that Ravenna was gone along with her sister, Illyana turned to Hope. "What the hell was that all about?" she demanded. "You know that we both got permission to go to the mainland..."

Hope cut her off. "Remember when Captain American came here a couple of years back because he and the Avengers thought that I was the host to the Phoenix Force?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"You know I'm not the host, right?"

"Of course."

"Remember what Cyclops said about how we can confirm the Phoenix's next host?"

The realization began to hit Illyana as her eyes widened. "The tattoo of the Phoenix on the chosen vessel's back. Ravenna and Cassie...?"

Hope slowly nodded. "We just found the hosts for the Phoenix Force."

Illyana summed up this revelation in just two words. "Bozhe moi."

* * *

At the same time, onboard the Helicarrier, inside the office of Steve Rogers...

"Heads up!"

Without looking up, Captain America – or rather, Steve Rogers, as he was out of uniform – caught the bagel that was thrown at him by Tony Stark.

"Sesame. You remembered," Steve noted as he took a bite. "So how was San Francisco?"

"Oh, the usual," Stark replied.

"And you didn't get arrested," Steve added with a wry grin. "I'm impressed."

Stark snorted. "As if a jail cell can hold an Avenger."

"You're still upset over Cage and Colonel Blade's actions, both in regards to the Act and in regards to Amadeus Cho." Before Tony could say anything, Steve continued. "Don't bullshit me, Tony. I've known you for many years. You have a habit of holding grudges when things don't go your way. I've told you before that you should have handled the situation with Cho a lot better rather than brand him as a criminal."

Tony sighed. "I know. Had things been different..."

"But it's too late. Cage Inc. has the boy. No use in crying over spilled milk."

"There's a lot of things that I've regret when I was Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Stark replied. He decided to change the subject. "How's Nova? Carol said that he was awake."

Steve nodded. "Yeah. He's bound and determined to get back to searching for the Phoenix."

"Anything come up?"

"Aside from that flare-up onboard the H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier, nothing." He picked up the photo of Rachel showing off the Phoenix tattoo on her back. "I've showed this to Sam, and not even he knew about the tattoo."

Tony looked up. "Tattoo? What tattoo?"

Steve handed him the photo of the Phoenix tattoo. "I thought you already knew. Well, according to Rachel, the tattoo is the only way one can identify the Phoenix's vessel.

As Tony looked at the photo something clicked inside his head. "Steve...I've seen this tattoo before..."

"Really? Where?"

"Let me have your seat. I need to access the S.H.I.E.L.D. archives."

Steve complied and rose from his chair. Backing away, Tony sat down and began to type rapidly on the laptop's keys. As he continued to type, he was talking to Steve.

"Back when I was Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., I've received a tip that Jessica Jones and her kid had returned to the States from Toronto. I figured that if I'd intercepted her before she made contact with Luke and the others, then it would convince them to surrender."

Steve snorted. "Fat luck that would work. You of all people know that Luke has a nasty temper, and despite not being an active superhero, Jessica is dangerous if you threaten Danielle."

"I know...here it is," Tony said, playing the video. "The source said that Jessica was hiding in a safehouse in Union Vale. So I led a squad of Capekillers, along with Carol and Simon to what we thought was Jessica and Danielle."

Steve watched as the Capekillers made a stealth approach to the house. Stark - as Iron Man - disabled the alarms and melted the locks off the doors and entered, followed by Ms. Marvel, Wonder Man and the Capekillers. The video was from the lead Capekiller's point of view as he followed the music that was blaring from an upstairs bedroom.

The lead Capekiller had his assault rifle primed and ready. All the while the music was getting louder, with their quarry singing to the song.

The lead Capekiller saw that the door was open. He gave his men the order to hold. Then he swung his weapon, finger on the trigger...

...and found himself staring at the backside of a woman. No baby in sight. She was wearing only a pair of cotton shorts as she dried her hair, dancing and singing to the song that was playing.

Her back was towards the Capekiller, but there was one thing perfectly clear in the photo.

The black phoenix tattoo that covered the span of her entire back.

Only when the woman slipped on a T-shirt, did the Capekiller spoke once the song ended. "Um..."

As the woman spun around, Steve saw that it was not Jessica Jones Cage. Jessica didn't have short blond hair. Instead, the image of Cassandra Carlton Cage greeted him.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, which was followed by...

"PERVERT!"

 **POW.**

Steve winced as a furious Cassie promptly slugged the lead Capekiller out the room. Then as she ran out of the room, she saw the other Capekillers, and proceeded to mow them down in a barrage of punches and kicks.

"That guy ended up with a broken jaw," Tony noted as he rewound the video, stopping so that the Phoenix tattoo was caught in frame, clear as day.

"Not once, did she use her powers," Steve noted. "That was pure skill."

"She put an entire Capekiller squad in the medical bay," Tony rattled off, "cracked Ares' skull, and broke Carol's nose. Only after I had brought her down, did I realize that we screwed up."

"Yeah, no kidding," Steve said, as he had seen video of the aftermath of the raid, in which her mother had called Stark, screaming her lungs out, both for trashing her private hideaway and for arresting Cassie.

" _STARK, YOU SON OF A BITCH! JUST WHO IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, ARRESTING MY DAUGHTER LIKE SHE'S SOME SORT OF CRIMINAL?!"_

" _Now, Colonel Blade, the information that was given to me was..."_

" _I DON'T GIVE A HIGH HOLY FUCK WHAT SOMEONE HAD TOLD YOU! YOU KNEW DAMN WELL THAT HOME BELONGED TO ME, AND YOUR ASSHOLE FRIENDS WRECKED IT! I DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR OF S.H.I.E.L.D.! IF MY DAUGHTER ISN'T RELEASED WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR, YOU BETTER HOPE YOU HAVE ALL OF S.H.I.E.L.D. AND THE GODDAMNED MIGHTY AVENGERS PROTECTING YOU, BECAUSE I WILL NAIL YOUR FUCKING ASS TO THE WALL IN THAT FUCKING ARMOR OF YOURS! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"_

That was followed by Cage Incorporated's legal team, threatening to drown Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. in lawsuits unless Cassie was released.

" _Director Stark, this is Robert Evans, and I represent the legal team for Cage Incorporated."_

" _Please, not now...I already got an earful about Cassie from her mother..."_

" _This call is to inform you that The Chairman is planning on filing suit on both yourself, the Mighty Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. itself for the wrongful arrest of one Cassandra Cage, not to mention the destruction of the home owned by Colonel Sonya Blade."_

" _Look, it was a misunderstanding. And besides, Cassie isn't as innocent in this mess..."_

" _Lieutenant Cage acted in self-defense. I'm sure that the videos from the Capekillers will support that theory. And you can be certain that we will subpoena not only those files, but also those that are contained within your suit, as well as the suit itself."_

" _Look...If I release Lieutenant Cage and drop the charges of assault, will that suffice?"_

" _Chairman Cage promises not to pursue any legal action if the above conditions are met."_

" _Fine. I won't pursue any charges, and Lieutenant Cage will be released within the hour."_

Despite Maria saying that Cassie should be charged for assault, Cassie was released.

Tony looked at the image of Cassie's backside with the tattoo in full view. Then he looked down at the photograph in his hand. "Son of a bitch," he muttered. "The Phoenix was here all this time...under our noses..." He groaned. "Cage did it to us again."

"With the person we'd least expect," Steve mused.

"You've had your eye on Cassie as a prospect for S.H.I.E.L.D., right?"

"Yeah. This complicates things."

"No kidding. You think her parents know?"

"Better assume that they do. We also need to assume that Summers and the X-Men know about Cassie as well, and will most likely move in to intercept her within the next few days."

"Assemble the team?" Stark asked.

Steve nodded.

"Which ones?"

"All of them," Steve replied, just as Carol Danvers came running into the office, holding several photographs in her hands.

"Carol? What is it?" Steve asked.

"Elektra Natchios is dead," Carol panted.

"What?" both Tony and Steve said, in shock. They knew that the boss of the Hand was tough. Very tough.

Carol handed Steve the pictures. "From our contacts in Japan."

Steve and Tony both looked at the photos. Sure enough, the body of Elektra was as clear as day in the photos, Elektra looking like she had gone twelve rounds with a grizzly bear, and lost. Her throat had been slashed open, with her tongue sticking out of the open slit in her neck.

"The reason why I took so long was because I was in the bathroom throwing up," Carol explained. "Look at the second photo."

The second photo was that of her killer.

A muscular man with a goatee, looking older than Tony, standing six feet even, holding a massive, bloodied knife in one hand, while the other was stained in Elektra's blood. His chest and arms were riddled with tattoos of dragons. Tony deduced that the man had a cybernetic heart, if the glowing red orb protruding from his chest meant anything.

But the most distinguishing characteristic was his faceplate, complete with a single, infa-red eye. That, and the look of sadistic glee as he admired his handiwork.

"Recognize this guy?" Steve asked.

Tony shook his head. "First time I've seen him."

"Who is he?" Carol asked.

"To sum it up in a single word," Steve replied, "trouble."

* * *

Later...

An emergency meeting was taking place inside the headmaster's office. Hope Summers and Illyana Rasputin were present, at Cyclops' request. Also present was Namor the Sub-Mariner, Emma Frost, Piotr Rasputin, and Erik Lensherr.

The cowl and visor was removed, leaving Scott in his pair of red-tinted shades. Once everyone was settled in, Cyclops got straight to the point. "We got confirmation as to the identity of the Phoenix's vessels."

"Vessels?" Erik repeated. "There's two of them?"

Cyclops nodded. "Cassandra and Ravenna Cage."

Emma blinked. "You're joking, right? The Cage sisters are the hosts to the Phoenix Force?"

"Hope and I both saw the tattoo on Ravenna's back in the locker room," Illyana explained. "Ravenna also confirmed that Cassie has the same tattoo on her own back."

"Rogers did say that the host to the Phoenix can be identified by the tattoo on their backs," Cyclops murmured, remembering the near-confrontation with the Avengers Commander three years earlier.

'The Phoenix was here this entire time,' Cyclops thought.

"What are you thinking, Scott?" Erik asked.

"He's thinking that Cassie and Raven as the Phoenix's chosen vessels might be the proverbial game-changer for our people," Emma said, reading his thoughts, and ignoring the scowl that was sent her way. "The power which can turn the tide."

"How?" asked Namor.

"Power," Cyclops clarified. "True power to put the world back on track."

"Now you're sounding an awful lot like me," Erik noted.

"What had happened to our people...it was...unnatural," Cyclops said. "Ninety-nine percent of us stripped of our powers, and there's less than two hundred of our kind left. We're an endangered species when we were supposed to be the next step of human evolution."

Cyclops stood up and turned to the window. "There has to be a reason why the Phoenix keeps coming back to us. Here...looking for something. Why does it always come back here?"

"It brings with it death and destruction," Magik said.

"And rebirth," Hope said. "Always rebirth."

Cyclops nodded. "The last time we dealt with the Phoenix Force...we were young and foolish, Illyana. Now, we're..."

"...still young and foolish," Namor snorted.

"It's been three years, Scott," Emma said. "What would you have Cassie and Raven do?"

"We train them both," Cyclops replied. "All of us. We prepare the both of them."

"And what if we can't?" Erik asked. "What if the Phoenix is not to be trained?"

Cyclops turned around. "We can do it."

"Some people would call that hubris, Scott," Xavier's voice said from the doorway. "I taught you better than that. Although this newest revelation has surprised me as well."

"I told him, Scott," Emma said as Xavier entered the room. "We need Xavier's opinion on this."

"I've known Cassandra and Ravenna ever since they were both children," Xavier said. "You yourself mentored Ravenna in the past. I agree with you Scott on the Phoenix being a force of rebirth. But the situation has changed. If we know that the girls are the hosts to the Phoenix, then you can be certain that Captain America and the Avengers also know of this development."

"Which means we'll end up fighting friends," Colossus rumbled. "Just like the Civil War, only worse."

"No. It won't come to that, Peter," Xavier said. He turned to Cyclops and Emma. "Scott. Emma. The both of you will seek out Cassie. Try to convince her to bring both herself and Raven to our side. If she refuses, don't force her..." He turned to Emma. "And please...don't antagonize her."

"Only if she provokes me first," Emma muttered.

"What about you, Charles?" Erik asked.

"I'll talk with Colonel Blade," Xavier said. "As Cassandra is subordinate to her, she may be more forthcoming, which can work to our advantage."

"Johnny and Sonya shouldn't have hidden it from us," Cyclops said. "Not when there's so much at stake."

"Johnny and Sonya protected their children," Erik defended. "Had I been on better terms with my own children, I would have done the same thing in their place. Either way, this has gotten way beyond complicated."

* * *

At the same time, onboard the Helicarrier...

Steve Rogers looked at the gathered Avengers that had answered his summons. From the look of things, nearly everyone was present, from Spider-Man to Iron Man. Even Thor, who had made the trip from Asgard for this meeting. Logan was also present, as was Nova and Commander Maria Hill. Only T'Challa and Storm were absent, as they were on an inspection tour of their embassies.

Steve sighed. He began the meeting without preamble. "Avengers...I wish I had a better reason to gather all of you here. As always, everything is at the highest level of secrecy. I am counting on your discretion, as always."

"You called us all here, so what's the rub, Cap?" Ben Grimm asked.

"First, off, Elektra Natchios is dead," Iron Man said. "Murdered."

Luke Cage and Iron Fist both looked at Daredevil. He showed no emotion, but Iron Fist knew that Matt Murdock was upset. Despite how their relationship had ended, there was still mutual respect for the sai-wielding woman.

"Any idea as to who killed her?" Luke asked.

Cap shook his head. "We got a good picture," he said, posting the photograph of the man in question.

Iron Fist and Luke Cage both shared a glance. They had a very good idea as to who the man in the picture is, as they have seen him in Johnny Cage's memories.

"Don't know him," Hawkeye said. "A new player?"

"Seems that way," Iron Man replied. "But that's not the only reason as to why you are all here. There has been a development in regards to the Phoenix Force."

"At ease," Cap ordered, silencing the whispers and mutterings of the group. "As you know, three years ago, the Phoenix Force has made landfall. Since then, nothing. But now, we have confirmed the Phoenix's chosen vessel and its current location."

The gathered Avengers shared worried looks on their faces.

"Where, exactly?" Spidey asked.

"San Francisco," Iron Man replied.

Of course the Avengers knew that San Francisco was the home of Utopia. "So Summers was hiding the Phoenix all along?" Hawkeye asked. "Pretty ballsy on his end."

"No," Iron Man replied. "Summers or Xavier does not hold the Phoenix. The woman in question does have ties to Xavier, as she is a mutant telepath. But it's...complicated."

"Complicated how?" Luke Cage asked.

Cap leaned forward and punches in several keys. Seconds later, a dossier appears on screen, complete with the photo of the chosen vessel of the Phoenix Force. A stunning young woman with short blond hair ending at her jawline.

Ms. Marvel, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, the Black Widow, and Logan recognized the woman almost instantly. Complicated was an understatement.

"Cassandra Carlton Cage," Iron Man said. "Age: twenty-five. First Lieutenant in the Army, and a member of the Special Forces' Tactical Response Unit. Educated at the Xavier Institute, as she is a telepath, graduated from Brookhaven High School in San Francisco. Omega-class mutant. Graduated in the top five of her class at West Point with a degree in Mechanical Engineering."

Red Hulk looked at the dossier. "Hmm...her military record is impressive. High marks in marksmanship. Skilled mechanic. Exhibits leadership abilities, of which were seen during the Siege of Asgard. Numerous awards and recommendations, trained in martial arts...are we certain that she is the Phoenix's vessel?"

Iron Man punched in several more keys on the console. A free-frame photo of Cassie during the Union Vale raid clearly showed the massive Phoenix tattoo on her back, alongside with a picture of Rachel Summers' own tattoo. "According to Rachel Summers, the chosen vessel has this tattoo on her back," the Iron Avenger explained.

"I had my eye on her for quite some time now," Cap explained. "Talent like that would be at home with S.H.I.E.L.D. or The Avengers."

"So what's the problem?" Hill cut in. "We know where she is. All we have to do is go in extract her and bring her back here. I'll have a retrieval team on standby to bring her in. Just to be safe, I'll have Agent Hood accompany the team."

"No."

Hill looked at Iron Fist. "Excuse me?"

Iron Fist turned to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander. "When Iron Man said that this is complicated, he wasn't lying."

"Screw that," Luke added. "Complicated is an understatement. If we try and snatch her up, we'll have an even bigger problem than Summers and the X-Men."

Hill cocked an eyebrow. "Which is...?"

"Her parents," Ms. Marvel said, just as Iron Man brought up the dossiers of Cassie's parents. Everyone present knew of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade by their reputation and their fighting abilities.

"Okay," War Machine said, "I can see how that can be a problem."

"If we try to abduct her, then we risk the wrath of her parents," Ms. Marvel said. "On top of that, Sonya is Cassandra's commanding officer."

"We also have to assume that Summers and Xavier knows about Cassie," Logan drawled. "We may be in for a fight."

"I know," Cap said. "Some mutants see the Phoenix as something of good fortune. But I'm not willing to take that risk. I'm hoping that reason and logic will prevail."

"Either that or Cyclops with either blast you out of the city or we risk the ire of Cassie's parents," Ms. Marvel said.

"In regards to the X-Men, we should at least be prepared for a full-scale attack...and be pleasantly surprised if there isn't one," Red Hulk said. "And if it does come to blows, you do realize that we will be fighting friends. People we admire. But we're trying to stop the end of the world. Everything that we've fought for will count for nothing unless we do this."

"Ragnarok on Earth," Thor rumbled.

"Exactly."

Cap turned to Ms. Marvel. "Carol, take Natasha with you and speak with Colonel Blade." When Carol balked over this, Cap raised a hand. "I know there's bad blood between the two of you over Julia, but you know her better than anyone else here. We need her on our side."

Carol slowly nodded.

Cap turned to Iron Fist. "Danny, both you and Stark head over to Cage Inc., and talk with Mr. Cage. I know that you and Cage got some issues, which is why I'm sending Danny along with you."

"And what about you?" Iron Man asked. "What will you be doing?"

Cap sighed. "I'll talk to Cassie myself. Tell her the situation, and hope she comes to us willingly. She respects me enough not to attack me on sight. Any questions or objections?"

Silence. There were none.

Cap sighed. "Avengers...assemble."

* * *

Red Lotus Compound.

A day has passed since their return from San Francisco and Liu Kang did not know about Kitana's secret.

The secret in question being that she was carrying their child. A prince. Heir to the throne of Edenia...had the realm remained seperate from Outworld.

Of course Kitana didn't tell him, as she had been worried about the news that came from their contacts and informants in Japan.

Elektra Natchios, the leader of The Hand, was dead.

Cause of death: her throat slashed open, her tongue sticking out of the gruesome injury as a final insult. Liu had suspected that it had been an interior rebellion, but that theory was shot down, as the majority of the Hand had vanished in the days following Elektra's death.

When the Red Lotus Society rose to prominence, it had gained the attention of The Hand and its sai-wielding mistress. Kitana had to admit that Elektra was more competent in using the deadly weapons, much more so than Mileena. Which led to Elektra and Kitana coming to blows. Elektra was good, Kitana admitted to herself. Real good. But she lacked the experience Kitana had many, many times over.

But to be defiled like this...

Kitana banished the thoughts of her fallen rival for the moment. She was looking for her husband. The Red Lotus has expanded, with the main orphanage and martial arts school located in the town, while the compound itself was used for 'conditioning and training.'

As always, she was dressed in her one-piece outfit (i.e., her Shaolin Monks costume), hair tied in a bun. Of course, in the coming months, she would be unable to fit in her favorite attire.

When she had been given the news following her checkup about a week and a half earlier, she had honestly, been scared. But that passed. Prior to the New York assignment, she had been spending time at the private training grounds used by herself, Jade and Liu in order to reflect.

She thought of her own mother, Sindel. She had died when she was a child, leaving her to be brought up by Shao Kahn. Her last memories of her before her first death - at her own hands - was not very pleasant.

 _"Mother, please!"_

 _"I am no longer your mother!"_

 _"Mother, this is not your way! Shao Kahn has corrupted you!"_

 _"Corrupted me? Shao Kahn has resurrected me! You have betrayed him, and embraced a pathetic cause!"_

 _"Remember Edenia, Mother! Your rule before Shao Kahn's invasion!"_

 _"Quiet, child! It is time for you to join your friends!"_

Thinking back on that moment made Kitana shudder. Sure she had made her peace with her mother once they were reunited in the Netherrealm, as their deaths had been Shao Kahn's (and by a certain extension, Raiden's) fault.

Another memory came to light. The attack on the Sky Temple, led by Cassandra Cage. She had overheard Cassie's conversation with her mother, in which Sindel not only gloated about murdering most of Raiden's warriors, but of their bond, which was strengthened following their deaths.

 _"Have your parents ever told you what I did to their friends? How I killed them all in a blink of an eye?"_

 _"And your own daughter too? Yeah, they told me. And you're proud of that?"_

 _"We are now bonded in death! Just as you shall be soon, Cassandra Cage. And when you do, I shall give you a proper upbringing!"_

Kitana took a deep breath as she banished the thoughts of her past sins as a revenant from her head. But not before one more memory played in her mind.

Her confrontation with Sareena during S-F's raid into the Netherrealm to capture Quan Chi.

" _It is possible to escape Quan Chi, Kitana! I can aid you as, Bi-Han aided me!"_

" _You became too familiar with Bi-Han, Sareena! You allowed emotion to corrupt you!"_

" _Emotion did not corrupt me! Emotion **freed** me!"_

'You were right, Sareena,' Kitana admitted. 'You were right.'

As it was noon, there was one place where she knew where Liu would be. After living and working together for nearly twenty years, she knew his schedule like the blades of her fans.

&^%

The letdai, or training platform, was located in a secluded section of the Red Lotus compound. Liu had modeled it based off of the old Wu Shi Academy back in Earthrealm, as a sort of homage to his Shaolin roots. While he was no longer a Shaolin, as he was certain that they would look down on him slaying some of their number and becoming an assassin, he held to its strict training regimen.

The letdai even had the Mortal Kombat dragon hand carved onto its stone surface; the dragon's tongue curled out and forked into a double-point, the single eye, evil.

And kneeling in the middle of the letdai, eyes closed, clad in only a red tanktop, his favorite pair of red-and-black pants, and training slippers, was Liu Kang.

Even while in deep meditation, Liu sensed Kitana sneaking up behind him. He had been her student in the art of stealth and assassination, but even he had some tricks up his sleeve. Tricks that not even Kitana knew of.

He opened his eyes when she was less than nine feet away. He didn't move when she leapt into the air, foot extended in a flying kick, aimed for the back of his head.

Kitana was very much surprised when Liu casually leaned his body to the right, grabbed her extended foot, and casually flung her to the other side of the letdai. Kitana landed hard on the stone pavement, rolling to a stop on the edge.

"Ow," Kitana grunted as she sat up.

"You think you'd learn by now not to try and sneak up on me," Liu said as he stood up and walked over to his wife. Extending his hand, he helped the former princess to her feet. "I sensed your chi. I knew you were there."

"The Shaolin taught you that?" Kitana asked. When Liu nodded, she responded by punching him on the shoulder. "Jerk. You've been holding out on me."

Liu shrugged off the blow. "I thought you knew how to read someone's chi," he replied in his defense. He then grinned. "After all...how else did I know that you were behind me? Or that you're carrying my child?"

Kitana's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "What?! You knew?!"

"Of course I knew. I always knew. I just didn't say anything because I felt you would tell me when you were ready." He placed one hand on her stomach. "Your chi is calm and serene, even as as assassin. But when we were revenants, it was like a maelstrom, filled with hate and rage. I found out about our child when I felt a second chi from within you."

"You seem to be taking this well," Kitana noted.

"I freaked out about it earlier," he admitted. He then asked, "So...how would Jade feel about becoming godmother to our child?"

"That is a good question. Perhaps we should ask her."

Arms entwined, Kitana and Liu Kang left the private grounds, and walked back to the main compound.

They found Jade in the main courtyard, finishing up a training session with the senior Red Lotus members. Those thirty-plus kids that they had rescued had become the first-generation members of the Red Lotus. Half of them made their home in the neighboring village near the compound while the others were scattered all over the world.

While the Emerald Assassin worked her trade alongside Liu and Kitana, she found joy in training the Red Lotus recruits.

For Liu, Jade was a sadist when it came to training, but it yielded results. The Red Lotus had the loyalty of the Shaolin and fought with the ferocity of an Outworld warrior. The girl that Jade had adopted had grown up into one of the Red Lotus' finest operatives.

She was stationed out in San Francisco. Even more amusing was that she was Johnny Cage's personal assistant, Mey.

Fortunately, Jade was just finishing up her training, dismissing the students for an hour-long lunch break before returning to resume their training.

"You two seem to be in a good mood," Jade noted.

Kitana was smiling behind her mask. "You're going to be a godmother."

Jade's own namesake eyes widened in surprise at this revelation. "You're pregnant?" she asked in a low tone.

Kitana nodded. "At least two weeks along - oof!"

Kitana was cut off when Jade engulfed her in a bear hug. Chuckling softly, Kitana returned the hug from her longtime friend. "So...is that a yes?"

"Do you have to ask?" Jade replied. "Of course I'll be godmother to your child."

Kitana released her friend. "I knew you would."

"Does anyone else know?" Jade asked.

"Just the three of us, so far. But I want to announce it to the clan," Kitana replied. "Make it official that the Red Lotus has an heir."

Liu thought about it for a moment. "What about the summer festival? Takes place at the end of the week."

Kitana smiled. "Perfect."

"Indeed. But not for a celebration," a third female voice said. "A funeral would be more precise."

The woman in question emerged from the shadows. A woman in red, shapely like Kitana, dark hair tied back with a bandanna, the red one-piece jumpsuit similar in design to Kitana.

Jade frowned. "Elektra? What business do you have here?"

Kitana shook her head. "No. Elektra is dead," she replied as she summoned the Red Lotus who were training as backup before drawing out her bladed fans. Eyes narrowing, she stared down at the false Elektra. "Who are you?"

"Now, that's no way to greet an old friend, Princess," 'Elektra' replied. "But if you insist..."

The body of the fake Elektra was encased in green energy. When it dissipated, the shapely assassin was gone. Standing in her place, was a man thought to have long since been dead for over forty years.

"Shang Tsung," Liu spat out the name. He was up there with Raiden in regards to the men he despised.

"Liu Kang. Jade. Princess," Shang greeted enjoying the looks of disbelief (from Jade) and anger (from Kitana and Liu). "As you can see, like the three of you, I have a new lease on life."

"How did you, of all people, managed to cheat death?" Kitana demanded.

"I have your stepfather to thank for that," Shang replied. "After Sindel decimated Raiden's champions, Kahn claimed my soul and had it placed inside Ermac." A sinister grin spread across his face. "One of the souls inhabiting Ermac's body..." he paused as his form changed to that of the last King of Edenia, "...was your own father."

"You court death, Shang Tsung," Kitana threatened.

"Being inside a construct made out of ten thousand souls was...interesting to say the least," the sorcerer continued, reverting back to his original form. "Of course, I merely bided my time, waiting until Earthrealm and Outworld bloodied themselves over Shinnok's amulet. When Kotal Kahn was finally slain by Raiden in Mortal Kombat, I decided that now was the time to escape. I lured Ermac into Shao Kahn's old fortress. When we neared my old research chambers, I freed my soul from his body, and proceeded to drain the construct of every single soul within. Now...I feel stronger than ever."

"You killed Elektra," Liu said.

"Sadly, no. I just absorbed her soul. Kano was the one who did the deed," Shang admitted. "By killing her, did he add to his numbers. But she did put up a fight, and was defiant to the end, even after Kano had slit her throat."

"So you have Kano working for you. Why am I not surprised?" Liu replied.

"The Black Dragon chieftain has not changed the slightest. No dignity, no manners. Yet men like him in Earthrealm can wield not only great wealth, but also godlike power. Men that Lord Raiden can use to further his goals."

Liu's eyes narrowed. "Kano isn't working for you. Both you and him are Raiden's lapdogs."

"Coming from someone who was the same, I'm insulted," Shang said. "After Earthrealm absorbed Outworld, in Mortal Kombat, I revealed myself. The stories about Raiden being corrupted following his cleansing the Jinsei were true. Although I am very interested as to how the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade managed to defeat Shinnok. It was only when I told Raiden that I can track his wayward champions down, did he relent in his attempts to have his corrupted champions rend me limb from limb."

"Never thought I'd see the day that you would join forces with that pathethic god," Kitana sneered.

Shang shrugged his shoulders. "I merely chose wisely. Kano and his clan joined out of self-preservation. As to how I managed to track you down to this realm, it was very simple. Did you really think that I knew only the Black Arts taught to me by Shao Kahn? I've also know the ways of the Edenian mystics." He gestured to Kitana and Jade. "Your repeated use of using Edenian magic to conjure portals was what allowed me to track you down."

Kitana and Jade both shared worried glances.

"So you're working for Raiden," Liu said. "What happens now?"

"Oh, it's simple, really. Raiden has deemed the three of you, along with Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, too dangerous to live," Shang replied as if he was asking for the time. "I believe Kano is anticipating the reunion between himself and the pair. He does, however, want Cassandra Cage back in Earthrealm, alive. Three years is a long time, after all, and Raiden does not like to be kept waiting, or defied."

"I bested you twice, sorcerer," Liu said.

"And it won't happen a third time," retorted Shang as he raised his hands, now encased in flames.

Behind the sorcerer and the grandmasters, a portal materialized. Unlike the soft blue hue that Kitana and Jade were known for generating, this portal was purple, bordering on red.

An inhuman roar came from the portal. The smile did not leave Shang's face as they emerged, charging from the portal. Monsters made flesh, the end result of the Netherrealm denziens mating with Outworld's locale. The long sharp teeth and the razor-sharp blades made their identities much easier.

The Tarkarta.

Shang stood there, hands behind his back as the Tarkartan horde charged around him. Sure Raiden had ordered him to bring a squad with him, but Shang wasn't one to take any chances.

"Red Lotus! On me!" Liu shouted as he leapt into the fray, the Red Lotus drawing live steel and followed the first grandmaster.

Kitana and Jade took on Shang Tsung. Shang Tsung was already dangerous enough. But now, having killed Ermac by absorbing the entity's 10,000 souls, the wily sorcerer was as dangerous than ever.

But Kitana and Jade were both older and wiser. Dying had that effect on them. While both Liu and Kitana were a team, Kitana's teamwork with Jade is what made both girls very dangerous.

As for Liu Kang, it was his leadership abilities. Honed during his time in the Netherrealm, he had gotten better with age. Even Sonya Blade had surprisingly praised his abilities in the past, and for Liu, that was something.

But sadly, the Red Lotus were used to fighting human opponents. Not the Tarkarta, a race known for its savagery in kombat.

Liu did not hold back. One Tarkarta was dispatched via fireball to the chest. It lacked the power of the demonically-charged fireballs he had lobbed at Jax back when he was a revenant, but they still did the job. Another had his arm broken, followed by his neck.

The anger was coming back to him, those negative emotions that he had felt back when he was under Quan Chi's curse. To Liu, it was like welcoming back an old friend.

The same can be said in regards to Kitana and Jade. Mostly Kitana, as seeing one of the men she hated with every fiber of her being alive had enraged her.

And while she and Elektra had past grievances, what Shang and Kano had done was not honorable. It was not kombat, in her eyes.

Despite his newfound power, Shang was hard-pressed against the Edenian duo's onslaught, blocking physical attacks and dodging Kitana's bladed fans. Even more so, the two women had incorporated Edenian sorcery into their attacks, forcing him to dodge deadly energy blasts.

Shang Tsung, for once, was caught off-guard.

While the Red Lotus was taking on losses from the Tarkarta, they were pushing the mutants back. Three of the Tarkarts had broken off from their assault of the Red Lotus in order to attack Kitana and Jade, forcing them both to break off from potentially killing the sorcerer.

Shang cursed under his breath. Tracking down Kitana and Jade to this alternative Earth was easy enough. The fact that he had found the Cage family along with Liu Kang and the renegade Edenians was a bonus. But he had accidentally transported himself, Kano, and the two squads of the Black Dragon that accompanied them to Japan, near the Hand's training compound.

Kano had taken sadistic delight in beating down Elektra, who remained defiant to the end, even as Kano slit her throat. Shang then absorbed her soul. By absorbing her soul, Shang learned more about this alternative Earth, and its inhabitants.

What he found out greatly interested him...and once Raiden found out, it would mean all-out war upon this realm. Warriors and heroes with unique abilities...even gods.

While he discovered their location by locking onto the Edenian sorcery, it had been through searching Elektra's memories that gave Shang the location of the Red Lotus.

Of course, Kano would be delayed, as he was prepping the newest recruits of the Black Dragon - the former members of The Hand - in their mission to kill his longtime nemesis and her ex-husband and capture Cassie Cage. Overkill, but seeing as how Johnny had beaten Shinnok, with his daughter performing the same feat years later, overkill was necessary.

Seeing as how this mission was going to hell in a handbasket, he decided to retreat. But not before accomplishing at least one of his goals.

As there were too many bodies surrounding Liu Kang, he decided to target Kitana.

This was no ordinary fireball that Shang was known for. In fact, when Shang Tsung used his signature Flaming Skull attack, the deadly attack was in fact, the lifeforce of an extinguished soul.

This one, however, was a combination of fire and lightning.

Shang had heard about how Liu had died in the aftermath of Sindel's attack by Raiden, of how he was incinerated and fried at the same time. Oh, the irony of Liu having to endure a second death of being scorched and electrocuted.

Instead, he decided that Kitana would endure the fate that he had in store for him, to watch helplessly as she died in his arms once again.

Shang raised his hand, and fired off the projectile. A ball of fire and lightning, shaped in the form of a skull, shot forth from his hands, his aim true.

"NO!"

Shang just didn't expect Jade to jump into the deadly projectile's path, her body a living shield, after knocking Kitana to the ground.

The electrified fireball struck Jade in the chest, the Emerald Assassin frozen in place as she endured the deadly blast, Jade screaming as her body is both scorched and electrocuted at the same time. Her flawless skin now marred with burns from head to toe, the last thing she saw before the attack left her blind in both eyes was Kitana's look of horror.

Simply put, Jade had gotten it much worse than Liu.

"JADE!" Liu and Kitana both screamed.

Enraged, Liu turned to Shang. But he was already making his retreat through the now-conjured portal along with the surviving Tarkarta, the smirk on his face showing that while he was unable to kill all three, one would do, it not the one he intended. Second, he had crippled their clan with the losses that the Tarkarta inflicted.

"Oh, Gods! Jade!" Kitana screamed, dropping her fans and rushing over to her friend's side.

Jade's lungs had been scorched, and she was having difficult breathing. Both her eyes have been blinded by the attack and blood was pooling from her mouth. Kitana cradled Jade's mortally wounded body.

"No," Kitana bemoaned, tears staning her eye shadow. "Nononononono..."

Jade coughed up blood. "It...it hurts...Gods, it hurts..."

"You're going to be okay, Jade," Kitana said, partially in denial, hoping that she can heal her friend. "We're going to fix you. Don't do this to me! Don't die on me!"

"I'm...not going to be okay..." Jade gasped. "You know that..." She coughed again, spatters of blood landing on Kitana's face.

"You're not dying on me! I command it! As your Princess!"

"Sorry, but this is...one order that I cannot follow..."

Tears were running down Kitana's face. "Oh, Jade...please," she pleaded, her voice a whisper. "Don't leave me...you...you're my best friend."

"Even in death...I...I never left your side..." Jade said, this time in Edenian. "Princess Kitana...it...was an honor...to have died defending you...to have died by...you...side..."

Kitana responded, also in Edenian, although she tried to compose herself. "And it was an honor...to have lived by yours."

The dying woman's body began to convulse. Jade clenches her bloodied teeth as she tried to fight for her life, speaking in Edenian still. "Kitana...KITANA! CAN'T BREATHE! GODS, CAN'T BREATHE! KITANA! CAN'T...CAN'T..."

Kitana felt Jade's body relax, her breath exhaling, her voice finally giving out.

"Jade...?" Kitana whispered.

Silence.

"Jade...?" Kitana repeated, her voice breaking.

Kitana received no response. Jade's mouth was open, eyes blank. She had been talking to a dead woman. Jade had died in her arms.

Something inside Kitana had broke. This was the second time that Jade had died before her eyes. She began to sob, cradling her friend's body.

Then, she raised her head to the skies, and screamed.

A bone-chilling wail that came from her gut. The surviving Red Lotus that had survived the Tarkartan onslaught had lowered their weapons in respect for the grandmaster, the Emerald Assassin who had made the ultimate sacrifice.

But as Liu Kang was certain, as he watched his wife cry and wail, Shang Tsung had just signed his death warrant. And Raiden...

The dark thunder god's words came back to him that day when he delivered Shinnok's head.

 _"There are fates worse than death."_

Liu's hand balled into a fist. 'Of that, we will make certain of that,' he thought.

With this act and the murder of Elektra, Raiden had virtually declared war on this planet.


	12. 7: Confrontations

**Chapter Seven: Confrontations (Rewrite)**

This time, we are introduced to Simon Williams (Wonder Man). Now I know that Simon is technically immortal, but here, he's pretty much mortal, but still tough as hell. We also see how Cassie and Ravenna kill both the Purple Man and Madame Masque in a series of flashbacks. Oh, and because of the added text, this is by far, the longest chapter written.

The Red Lotus had taken a near-crippling loss following the attack on the main compound. Over ninety of their assassins and agents dead, countless others maimed and wounded.

Per to Edenian tradition, when a person dies, the body was not buried. It was cremated. Jade's body had been taken care of by Kitana herself. Following the traditions of her long-dead realm, Kitana had cleaned Jade's body, stopping only to weep uncontrollably.

Liu had provided his wife with the bundle of white cloth that Kitana had used to wrap her friend's body with. Whenever Kitana's sobs proved too much, Liu had offered to perform the task herself.

"No...no," Kitana had replied. "She was my friend. It is my responsibility."

Liu had left it alone after that.

The bodies of the Tarkarta had also been incinerated. All but one, which had been placed inside a bodybag and stored away for the time being.

* * *

Land's End

Land's End – one of the lesser-known and visited beaches in San Francisco, Land's End was a hidden gem, secluded behind the cliffs west of Lincoln Park. It was also only accessible by means of a steep trail. While the beach itself was a beautiful spot for one to sunbathe or to hold a picnic, swimming was prohibited due to the dangerous water conditions.

For Cassandra Cage, this was her private hideaway. A place where she could, at the moment, feel at peace. The blond lieutenant was in casual attire; red tanktop, sleeveless dark brown jacket, zipped halfway, black cargo pants and boots. Strapped to her sides in custom-made holsters were a pair of massive firearms - Mark XIX Desert Eagle Magnums, matte black. Very dangerous.

The night before, she didn't have any nightmares, as she followed Xavier's advice. But today, she felt...troubled. As if something big was going to happen.

However, she wasn't too troubled to sense the presence of her boyfriend, having arrived from Los Angeles. A small smile crept across her face as his muscular arms wrapped around her torso, pulling her close.

"Hey, beautiful," his voice rumbled in her ear.

"You are such an ass," Cassie replied.

"And you love it," he replied.

Back when the Superhuman Registration Act was the law of the land and Iron Man was pushing his Fifty-State Initiative, Simon Williams had been a registered hero and a member of the Mighty Avengers. Technically, both he and Cassie had met when Iron Man had confronted Danny Rand about where he had been the night before, having crashing a meeting between Rand and Cassie's father at Cage Incorporated's New York Offices.

Thankfully, he had been absent during the ill-fated Union Vale raid later that night.

After leaving the Avengers, Simon relocated to the West Coast, hoping that his invunerablity would help him break into acting. He had met Cassie while she was vacationing in Los Angeles. Suffice to say, Simon was smitten by the woman. For him, she was unlike any other woman who threw themselves at him, be it his fans, groupies or even the more shallow actresses in the film industry.

It also was Cassie who had given him the advice as to what to do when he was torn between his superhero duties and his acting career. "You can do both, but what you love comes first."

So he decided to focus solely on stuntwork for the time being. But he was pushing for a film studio to be built in the city, as San Francisco agrees with him more than L.A. The irony wasn't lost on Cassie or her parents, a military officer dating an actor. At least they both liked him, although Simon had to win Sonya over. Having a husband who was a retired actor made her harder to impress.

"Sorry I missed your dad's retirement party," Simon said. "I got off the set late."

"It's cool," Cassie replied. "I needed some sleep anyway."

"Sonya's been working you ragged again?"

"No. Bad case of insomnia on my end." Not exactly a lie, but a truth from her view. It's not like Cassie can say to her boyfriend 'I'm having nightmares over an old guy that I killed by accident.' "So when you'd get in?"

"Just now." Simon released her and stood by her side. Cassie noted that he was in his usual attire; the black tights with the stylish red 'W' on the front.

"How'd you know I'd be here?"

Simon released Cassie and shrugged his shoulders. "You're easy."

Cassie scoffed. "Xavier said the same thing." She turned to her boyfriend and smiled. "So how long are you in town this time?"

Simon grinned, the light reflecting off his sunglasses. "Oh, for a while. Thought I'd drop by and visit my brilliant, sexy girlfriend, and hope she didn't forget about little ol' me."

"So you're finished with your latest project?" Cassie asked.

"Yup. The producers were impressed with my work," Simon replied. "This may be the big break that I need." He looked at her. "You look burned out. You sure you okay?"

"I'm fine. You sound like my dad."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Depends."

"Well, at least I don't sound like your mother."

Cassie laughed. "True." Then, her expression darkened.

"What?" Simon asked, alarmed. "Cassie, what is it?"

Cassie's hand went for one of her Desert Eagles, but she relaxed her grip. ' **We have uninvited guests,** ' Cassie said, before speaking to the uninvited guests. "If I wanted to put a bullet in your head, Blue, I'd had done it long before I led both you and Director Hill here."

Simon turned his head. Standing there, was Captain America - out of uniform, Nova and Maria Hill.

* * *

With Cap, Maria and Nova...

Steve Rogers wondered if he was being led into a trap of sorts as he took over the duties of the two S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives who had followed their target up to this point.

On the way to San Francisco, Steve and the Avengers had been debating on a course of action. Some wanted diplomacy. Director Maria Hill opted for a tactical extraction – track Cassandra Cage down, subdue her using Agent Hook, and be out of San Francisco before her parents knew what had happened. That idea was immediately shot down, as that would not only make enemies out of her parents, but they would probably join forces with Cyclops and the X-Men.

Maria Hill's disdain towards the Cage family was well-known, stemming from the Superhuman Registration Act, in which neither Johnny nor his children registered due to their inborn powers and the girls being mutants. Maria especially didn't like Cassie due to how she had tore through the Capekillers when they raided the Union Vale hideaway. Sure it had been a mistake due to her sharing the same last name as Luke and Jessica, but the fact that Cassie had beaten down a squad of Capekillers, and was only subdued by Iron Man had left a black eye on S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Cage family had given the Act and S.H.I.E.L.D. one giant middle finger...and got away with it. What infuriated Maria was that they did it legally thanks to the military registry.

When Steve told Maria of his plan, suffice to say, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. thought that Steve was out of his mind. Which is why she was accompanying him on this task. Steve allowed it...so long as she did not antagonize Cassie, lest they end up with another incident similar to Union Vale again.

Sam Alexander also was with the pair, now fully healed and back in uniform as Nova. He wanted to come and see the vessel of the Phoenix up close and personal. And to provide extra firepower should things get violent if Cap's attempts at diplomacy fail.

While Maria was in her standard S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, shades covering her eyes, Steve himself was dressed in a black military-style turtleneck sweater, slacks and boots. The shield he left on the Helicarrier, but he did have the energy shield just in case. On top of that, while Cassie had a killcount to her name, both her and Steve were on somewhat pleasant terms.

Steve wanted her to join S.H.I.E.L.D. and had extended an invite to her in the past. Cassie had refused, stating that she was content where she was at with the Tactical Response Unit.

Now, things had changed, Steve realized as he, Sam, and Maria hoofed it along the trail that led to the beach.

"This stinks, Rogers," Maria said. "She could be leading us into a trap."

"Then I guess we should be fortunate that the rest of the Avengers is less than thirty seconds from our location," Cap replied.

"Remember...let me do the talking. We want to go for a diplomatic solution. The last thing we need is Cage Incorporated and the Tactical Response Unit coming for our heads."

Maria sighed. "We should have just called in an extraction team and be done with it."

"Sure...if you want to risk pissing off not only Cassie's parents, but also the X-Men," Cap replied. "Sometimes, the most difficult of problems requires a practical solution."

"This is anything but practical."

"I know."

He had to admit that Cassie had chosen a nice little spot...if she was leading the three of them into a trap. Then again, Maria was probably being cautious...or paranoid.

Speaking of Cassie, the woman in question stood on the beach, her back towards the both of them, clad in casual attire, the first Avenger and the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. taking notice of the handcannons Cassie had armed herself with. Steve and Maria both know just how dangerous Cassie were with those Magnums. They had seen Cassie in action, wielding the gas-powered weapons with terrifying accuracy.

Then, much to the trio's surprise, her boyfriend showed up. What surprised Cap and Maria even more was that the man in question was Wonder Man himself.

Cap and Maria both knew that Simon was smart. Plus, he had been an Avenger in the past, which meant that he was another monkey wrench thrown into the gears should things head south.

Taking a breath, and hoping for the best, Steve walked forward...

...and stopped after several steps when he saw Cassie's gloved hand rest on the handle of her gun. One raised hand stopped Maria from drawing her own pistol, and Sam from blasting her with his energy.

"If I wanted to put a bullet in your head, Blue," Cassie noted in a dry tone, as she removed her hand from her gun, and faced him, Maria and Nova, "I'd had done it long before I led both you and Director Hill here."

Steve calmed down. 'Blue' was Cassie's nickname for him, due to the color scheme of his costume. While some people found it insulting, she made it sound dignified.

Simon spun on the trio. "Rogers," he said.

Steve nodded. "Simon," he responded.

"Simon..." Cassie's voice was like steel. "Manners."

Simon looked at his girlfriend. He knew that Cassie could handle herself, and decided to stand down.

Cap breathed a small sigh of relief. Simon was always a hot-head, even back when he was an Avenger. At least Cassie could keep him in line. On top of that, Cassie wasn't showing any signs of hostility.

"You knew that we were following you," Maria accused.

Cassie nodded. "Yup." She tapped her temple. "Telepath, remember? I also know that if it's serious to bring out the Ice Queen of S.H.I.E.L.D., then the rest of the merry band of Avengers isn't too far behind, right?"

Seeing as how lying was pointless, Steve nodded.

Cassie turned to the third member. "Who's he?"

"Nova, of the Nova Corps," Nova introduced himself. "I've been looking for you for a long time."

"And here I am," Cassie replied. "So what do you want?"

"Lieutenant Cage, we need to talk," Steve said.

Cassie sighed. "I'm not signing on to the Avengers, Blue. I'm content where I'm at."

"It isn't that." Steve paused. "Cassandra...you know why I'm here."

Much to his, Nova and Maria's surprise, Cassie didn't deny it or scream bloody murder at the trio. Instead, she looked rather amused. "Figured it out, huh? That I'm one of the hosts to the Phoenix?"

Now Simon was shocked. He had heard about the Phoenix Force back in his days as an Avenger. And here he was, dating the host to the power itself.

Wait. Hosts? As in more than one?

Maria blinked. "Wait...one of the hosts?" she asked in disbelief.

"There's two hosts?" Nova parroted.

Cassie smiled meanly. "Ravenna's the second host."

"Who's Ravenna?" Nova demanded.

"My sister, and also a telepath. Originally, I was to be the host of the Phoenix Force. But after what it had done to Jean, I had my concerns. Fortunately, Dad had an insurance policy. Master Yao was able to split it in two."

* * *

Onboard the Helicarrier...

The gathered Avengers who was watching this confrontation play out on the monitor, went silent at this latest revelation. But none more so than Stephen Strange.

"Master Yao?" the Sorcerer Supreme parroted.

"Who's he?" Luke Cage asked.

"The previous Sorcerer Supreme," Strange replied. "My master, who trained me after...my accident. Interesting. It seems there's more to the story than what it seems. Cassie's parents knew that she would become the Phoenix's vessel and retained Yao's services in splitting the Phoenix in two, which allows them better control over the Phoenix."

"You sure about that?" the Thing asked.

"I'd have done the same thing," Strange replied. "This...complicates things even further."

'You have no idea,' Logan thought.

Luke Cage had no problems with Cassie. Hell, he respected her and her family, if not for standing up to the S.H.R.A., but for putting an end to the Purple Man. While Luke was against killing, he hated Killgrave for what he had done to Jessica. Upon hearing of his demise at Cassie's hands, he had told Danny "I don't know if I want to bring Cassie in or send a thank-you card."

Danny's response? "Go for the thank-you card."

He kept silent as he and the others watched the exchange unfold.

* * *

Back with Cassie...

Cassie raised one hand. Cosmic flame blossomed in her hand. Steve, Nova and Maria noticed that the flames were darker than what they were used to. "As you can see, I got the dark half of the Phoenix. Raven's got the light half. Maybe because the Phoenix was attracted to the corruption in my body due to past events, I'll probably never know." She then banished the flame.

"How long?" Maria asked. "How long have you and your sister been the hosts?"

"Before the Act was passed."

Now Steve saw why Cassie was so calm. All this time, he and the others thought that there was one host, but rather two. Once again, the game had turned on its head with this new development.

"You were one of the hosts and you didn't tell me about it?" Simon asked.

"Can you imagine how that conversation would go over dinner?" Cassie sniped. "'Hey babe, I'm one of the hosts to a cosmic entity that is the literal embodiment of life and death. How was your day?'"

Simon thought about that. "Okay, I can see your point."

"We're getting off-track here," Maria said, her hand on the handle of her pistol. "Cassandra Cage, by order of the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate, both you and your sister are to be placed in protective custody."

Cassie snorted. "Real fancy way of saying 'house arrest,' Hill. Besides, you know that my parents wouldn't allow that. Especially Mom." Cassie raised one hand, silencing Steve's reply. "I know what it did to Jean. She was my friend. I also know that while you and your friends see it as a harbinger of death, others see it as a beacon of hope." She then looked at the two newcomers that had just arrived. "Isn't that right, Summers?"

Steve, Maria and Nova turned around. Cyclops was standing there, Emma Frost beside him. With the appearance of the X-Men, Steve knew that the mission had gone south.

He just hoped that Cyclops or Maria would make things worse.

"So...it was true," Cyclops said, his visor gleaming in the sun. "The Phoenix was here all along. Didn't expect it to be you and Raven."

"How'd you find out?" Cassie asked. "Wait...how did you know I'd be here?"

"Emma tracked you down," Cyclops explained. Cassie rolled her eyes at Emma's smirk. "Hope saw the tattoo on your sister's back. You got the same one as well. I remember Rachel mentioning the tattoo as a mark of one who was the Phoenix's host. Rachel has the same tattoo on her back."

"This has nothing to do with you, Summers," Maria said. "This is a matter of national security."

"Funny, seeing as how this is a mutant matter," rebuked Cyclops. "Cassie and Raven Cage are both mutants. We'll handle it."

Steve sighed. "This isn't a 'mutant-versus-human' problem, Summers. We need to take care of this."

"Cassandra and Ravenna are no threat," insisted Cyclops. "They are the last hope for my people. The Phoenix isn't a harbinger of death. It's a force of rebirth. For all mutantkind."

"You're too close to it, Summers," Cap rebuked. "I was expecting friction from her parents, not from you. I was hoping that we both can come to an understanding. Man to man, leader to leader. Please trust me on this."

"Ugh..." Cassie groaned. This wasn't going to end well.

"I'm too close to it?" Cyclops sounded insulted. "You're too far away from it, Rogers. You've always have been. Only now, do you need something from us, the mutants. Where were you for us when we needed you? Or the Avengers for that matter?"

"I was respecting you," Steve replied. "But since you want to have this discussion, it will have to wait. Cassandra and Ravenna Cage are coming with us, for the safety of the planet."

"So you can lock them away?" Cyclops retorted. "No. They're coming with us."

Cap's eyes narrowed. "You do understand that I wasn't asking."

"Oh, I understand completely," Cyclops replied.

 **BLAM.**

The sound of a Desert Eagle discharging a round into the air had stopped Cyclops from blasting the Star-Spangled Avenger into the trees. Maria had her own handgun drawn, and aimed at the person responsible while Emma had a wary eye on said woman as well.

" **ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!** "

Amplified by the power of the Phoenix, Cassie's voice echoed along the beach. One of her Desert Eagles in her hand, the barrel smoking. But that wasn't what worried the two women and the three men.

Cassie's eyes were the shade of red. Blood red. Pupils, irises, the whites, everything.

Simon inched back several steps. 'Scary,' he thought.

Almost immediately, the Helicarrier dropped its stealth camouflage. Assuming that those onboard were fearing the worst, Cap quickly spoke into his headset, giving the order to stand down. "It's okay! We're okay! Avengers, stand down!" To Nova, who was preparing to blast Cassie with an energy blast, he ordered, "Nova, stand down!"

Maria, on the other hand, wasn't going to do this diplomatically. "Drop the gun, Cage! Drop it or I'll shoot!"

Cassie looked at the other woman with an amused look, despite the red eyes. Maria felt the pistol being wrenched from her hand, where it floated over to Cassie, stopping only halfway. Then, as the Avengers and the X-Men watched, Cassie, using the power of her mind, dismantled Maria's pistol, the pieces falling harmlessly to the ground.

With Maria now weaponless, Cassie turned to the two men.

" **This can end in two ways,** " Cassie intoned, her voice promising great pain if neither man complied. She gestured to the gun in her hand. " **This pointing at your crotch...** " She paused to raised her other hand, now balled into a fist. " **...or this breaking your balls. The both of you...back away from each other and stand down. Now.** "

Steve and Cyclops turned back to each other. Not breaking their glares, the two men took five steps back, Emma backing up alongside her boyfriend, while Nova did likewise with the older man.

Cassie turned to Maria. " **That goes for you too. Step back.** "

Glaring at Cassie, Maria complied. She backed away until she was standing alongside Cap.

"Good," Cassie said, nodding, her eyes and voice returning to normal. "Summers...Rogers...I admire and respect the both of you, I really do...but I will not have the two of you fight over me and Ravenna like spoiled children!"

Steve and Cyclops both winced. Mentally, Cassie groaned. 'Great, I sound a lot like Mom.'

Cassie took a moment to calm down, holstering her Magnum. "If you want answers...then come to my family's home." She turned to Cap. "And make sure you don't bring that over Dad's real estate," she added, pointing to the Helicarrier. "The both of you can bring up to seven representatives from your respective sides. Be there by seven tonight."

That said, Cassie Cage stalked past the group of men, Emma and Maria.

"Hey! You think it's that easy?" Hill shouted, causing Cassie to stop. "I told you that you're being placed into protective custody, Cage! Don't make me arrest you!"

Cassie turned around. "Go ahead and try, Hill. See what happens."

Maria took a step forward, preparing to call for backup, but Steve stopped her. "Let her go."

Maria looked at the Avengers Commander as if he had lost his mind. "What?"

"She's not going to run," Steve said. "She's a lot better than than. Let her go."

Giving the Star-Spangled Avenger a mental thanks, Cassie turned and walked off. Once she was out of their line of sight, Cassie produced her phone and after scrolling through her contacts, stopped at one in particular – PAPA CAGE.

Seconds later, her father was on the line. "Cassie?"

Cassie didn't beat around the bush. "They know, Dad. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the X-Men."

"...about the Phoenix and both you and Ravenna?"

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Sonya gave me the heads-up. And T'Challa and his wife are less than amused that we hid this from the Avengers for so long, but they understand why we did it."

"We knew this day would come, Dad. It's time to come clean about our past in Earthrealm."

"I know, Punkin."

"I'm a bit too old for Punkin, Dad. Way old. I told them to meet up at the home later on tonight."

"Okay. I'll call your mother and give her the heads-up."

"Where's Ravenna?"

"She's with me," Johnny replied. "I think we'll keep her here until this is over."

Cassie turned to Simon. "Simon's here. He was there when Cap and Cyclops almost went at it. And he knows about the Phoenix."

Johnny sighed. "Come back home, Cass. And bring Simon with you."

"Okay. See you then, Dad," Cassie said, ending the call. The second number she punched in was her mother's, under the name **MAMA BLADE**. Rather than call, she left a text: **THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PHOENIX.**

The text sent, Cassie began to make her way towards her motorcycle. It was another thing that Sonya had passed down to her, as she herself was a biker. While Sonya preferred American muscle, Cassie's bike appeared to be foreign-made, but in truth, she had built it from scratch.

"Cassie!"

Cassie turned around. Simon had caught up with her, barely winded from running after her.

Before he could say anything, Cassie cut him off. "You're coming with me. There are some things that I've kept from you. And no, I wasn't born a man. And I'm not an alien."

'Thank God,' Simon thought. He then asked, "Why all the secrets? And what did you mean by 'Earthrealm?'"

Cassie sighed. "I guess I owe you an explanation," she replied, "I think you should hang with me until then, okay?"

Simon nodded. "Okay." He looked up and groaned.

Cassie followed his line of sight. Leaning up against her bike, was her favorite hairy little Canadian mutant. She had always liked Logan, as he mentored her in the past, but now, Cassie was on the defensive.

"Logan," Cassie greeted.

"Cassie," Wolverine replied. He stepped away from the bike.

"You're not here to kill me, knowing your past track record."

"You got a nice little killcount of your own, Cage," Logan replied. "Besides, you and Jeanie were friends. And I'd be damning her memory if I tried to kill you."

"Mainly because I'd make you work for it. So you're with the Avengers on this?"

Logan nodded. "Yeah. Surprised that it's you and Raven that's the Phoenix's host. You know that this is a dangerous game you and your family is playing, Cass."

"I didn't want the power, Logan. But it chose me. If I had taken the Phoenix when it was at full power, then I'd end up like Jean."

Logan sighed. "I know. The others were listening in on what you told Cap and Hill. Even though me an' Slim's not on good terms...thanks for not letting him and Cap come to blows."

Cassie nodded. "I know that the Phoenix is important to them, but I can't let those two fight, not with the bad blood between both the Avengers and X-Men."

Logan nodded. "Yeah. The Civil War was already bad enough. Hero fighting hero. But you did the right thing in stoppin' both men, Cass."

"Now, do you mind? I need to prepare for tonight. Oh, and you should visit the old man. He's been asking about you."

"Hmm...I guess I should pay a visit to Chuck once all this is over."

Cassie hopped on her bike. After securing her helmet and turning over the engine, Cassie Cage peeled off, Simon taking to the skies after her.

* * *

Cage Incorporated, five minutes earlier.

From its humble beginnings, Cage Incorporated had begun as a software firm operated by Johnny and Rebecca Cage. Nineteen years later, it was a corporate powerhouse.

Unlike Tony Stark's Stark Tower, Johnny Cage was a bit more subtle in creating Cage Incorporated's nerve center. Johnny had bought out a private airport and some of the surrounding area, and built upon that. Six buildings, each one made of glass and steel, and standing four stories tall surrounded the airstrip for easier access, with the old hangar and several smaller buildings used for research and development. Cage Incorporated also had a small housing complex for its employees and the surrounding area were also home for its workers.

Inside the main building, located on the top floor, was Johnny's office. Johnny had modeled it after his old study back inside his old condo in Earthrealm, only it was more spacious. Johnny Cage wasn't behind his desk this time around. He was seated on the couch alongside Ravenna, who was present overlooking the corporation's budget for the quarter.

Seated opposite father and daughter, was the rulers of Wakanda, T'Challa and Ororo Munroe. The Black Panther and Storm.

As it turned out, T'Challa and Storm were absent at the meeting of the Avengers due to being on an inspection tour of the Wakandan consulate in San Francisco. The surprise visit to Cage Incorporated was something unexpected. The royal couple knew of the Cage family.

As Storm was with the X-Men before becoming Queen of Wakanda three years earlier, she was quite familiar with both Cassandra and Ravenna Cage, while T'Challa was familiar with Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. While T'Challa was impressed with Cassie, he was very impressed with Ravenna, of whom he had met during a family vacation to Wakanda. Of course, the Cage family didn't know that T'Challa was the ruling monarch at the time, but both he and Ravenna had an interesting debate, the Wakandan-born superhero testing the limits of Ravenna's intelligence.

T'Challa himself was a martial artist, of which had caught Johnny's interest. The match ended in a draw, but both men promised a rematch.

The arrival of the Wakandan royals was a surprise to all of Cage Incorporated, as it was the first time that T'Challa and Storm had graced the corporate powerhouse with their presence. Johnny himself had conducted the tour of the main headquarters, which led to where they were at now.

"I can honestly say that I am impressed, Mr. Cage," T'Challa said as he sipped on tea, of which Johnny's assistant had brought out to them. "And as Ororo can bear witness, I am a very difficult man to impress."

"Then both you and Sonya should get along fine, Your Grace," Johnny replied.

"Honestly, when you first arrived on the scene...well, forgive me, Mr. Cage, but I thought that you were not only a fake in the ring, but also that you were in over your head in regards to your company."

Johnny grinned. "I'm not insulted, Your Grace."

T'Challa waved him off. "No need for ceremony, Johnny. Call me T'Challa."

"Then I guess I'd not refuse an order from a king, T'Challa. As to this company..." Johnny paused to gesture to the room around him. "Years of blood, sweat and tears. I've sacrificed plenty to get to where I'm at." He looked at his daughter. "All I am is just a guy from Venice Beach that had a vision. And with the help of my sister, that vision is now a reality."

"So how is Rebecca, by the way?" Storm asked.

"Not planning on returning back to the States soon," Johnny replied. "I really should visit her and her family in London."

"It's been that long since you've seen her?"

"About a year. We still talk, but Becky's content with her life in London, both as a wife and overseeing the European branch there."

T'Challa's phone began to vibrate. Excusing himself from his wife and hosts, he stood up, walked over to the window and retrieved his phone from his jacket pocket. Looking at the caller ID, he saw that it was Tony Stark.

The Black Panther activated the phone. "What is it, Stark?"

"We have confirmation as to the identities of the Phoenix's vessels," Iron Man's electric voice replied. "Cassandra and Ravenna Cage."

T'Challa looked at Johnny, who met his look of disbelief with a calm look. Ororo looked at Johnny and then at her husband, catching the look of alarm on his face. "Are you sure?" T'Challa asked, "because I'm in the office with him and his youngest at the moment."

"Positive. I'm tracking your signal. E.T.A. is two minutes."

Storm's expression soon matched that of her husband's. "Johnny, what's going on?"

It was Ravenna that spoke. "Cassie and I are the hosts to the Phoenix Force," she replied as T'Challa sat back down. "Have been ever since the Civil War. Originally, Cassie was to be the host, but a sorcerer managed to split the power in two. Cassie has the dark half, while I hold the light."

"Goddess..." Storm's hand squeezed her husband's own as she digested the news. "You are aware of what the Phoenix has done to Jean, right?"

Ravenna nodded. "She was my sister's friend and my mentor. How could I forget? But I also know of the responsibility in keeping this power in check."

"And the Phoenix is not influencing you in any way?" T'Challa asked.

Ravenna shook her head. "Not at all. My powers and Dad's warrior bloodline keep it in check."

Now, both T'Challa and Ororo turned back to Johnny. "Warrior bloodline?" the Wakandan king asked for clarification.

"Mediterranean warrior cult that once bred fights for the gods, which explains my inborn powers," Johnny explained. "Both Ravenna and Cassie inherited my bloodline."

"I can understand why both you and Colonel Blade kept this a secret," T'Challa said. "You were protecting your children."

Johnny nodded. But before he could reply, his cellphone began to ring. Upon retrieving it, he saw that it was Cassie. He activated the call. "Cassie?"

"They know, Dad. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the X-Men."

"...about the Phoenix and both you and Ravenna?"

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Sonya gave me the heads-up. And T'Challa and his wife are less than amused that we hid this from the Avengers for so long, but they understand why we did it."

"We knew this day would come, Dad. It's time to come clean about our past in Earthrealm."

"I know, Punkin."

"I'm a bit too old for Punkin, Dad. Way old. I told them to meet up at the home later on tonight."

"Okay. I'll call your mother and give her the heads-up."

"Where's Ravenna?"

"She's with me. I think we'll keep her here until this is over."

"Simon's here. He was there when Cap and Cyclops almost went at it. And he knows about the Phoenix."

"Come back home, Cass. And bring Simon with you."

"Okay. See you then, Dad."

Johnny ended the call. "By you being part of the Avengers, this means that you'll want to take my daughters in, right?"

T'Challa nodded. "Yes...but your wife scares me when she's angry."

Johnny's chuckle was dry. "Hell hath no fury like a woman protecting her children."

Despite the situation, T'Challa grinned. "If she asks Colonel Blade for pointers, then I'm going to be in trouble. I should warn you that Stark is on his way here."

 **TAP. TAP. TAP.**

"No," Johnny replied as he and the others turned to the window. "He's already here."

Outside the fifth story window, was Iron Man, floating in the air. He pointed upwards to the roof before flying off.

Johnny sighed. "This is going to suck," he muttered as he exited the room, accompanied by his daughter, and two guests.

* * *

The rooftop of the main building also served as a heliport. So Johnny wasn't surprised to see the Quintjet parked on the helipad. Despite seeing both Iron Fist and Iron Man, Johnny suspected that they were not alone.

His concerns were verified when Ravenna telepathically communicated with him, after getting a brief rundown of the past events from Cassie. ' **Dad, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman and Hawkeye are inside the Quintjet.** '

Johnny nodded. A side glance to T'Challa and Ororo was all that was needed for the both of them to remain behind. The same look he also gave to Ravenna, who remained behind.

Iron Man and Iron Fist stood on the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the complex. Only when Johnny approached, did both men turned around. Johnny guessed that since he and Rand were friends, that he would be there to act as peacekeeper.

"So...you finally figured it out," Johnny drawled.

"We assumed that it was just Cassie being the host," Iron Fist said. "But both your daughters being the host to the Phoenix..."

"Wasn't expecting that," surmised the former actor. "Then again, I wasn't expecting Cassie to be the host myself. I had my money on Ravenna's friend." When Iron Man tried to speak, Johnny cut him off. "Take the helmet off, Stark. I want to see your face."

Iron Man complied. He removed the helmet. "Why didn't you say anything?" Tony asked.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "You didn't ask. Plus, they're my daughters."

"You know we can't take any chances, Cage," Tony said. "Not with the Phoenix. Johnny...we've never seen eye-to-eye on many things, but the Phoenix Force is too big of a threat. We need to place your daughters in protective custody until we can find a way to remove the Phoenix from the planet."

"And you think that by convincing me to surrender my daughters to S.H.I.E.L.D. is a feasible solution?" Johnny asked, hands in his pockets. "You obviously don't know my daughters or my wife very well, Stark. If they don't kill me, then Sonya will. As for the Phoenix Force, Sonya and I have taken the necessary precautions to ensure that the Phoenix isn't a threat."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "You knew that they were the hosts this entire time."

"I did. I'm surprised to see that it only took you three years to figure it out. I'll save you the trouble and tell you right off the bat. Sonya and I will not hand over our daughters, Stark."

"You're at a disadvantage, Cage," Tony said. "I got the numbers. For your daughter's sake...don't do anything that you'll regret."

If anything, Johnny looked amused. "Me? At a disadvantage? Hardly. The X-Men also know of Cassie and Ravenna being the hosts to the Phoenix. You know as well as I do that if you try to make a play for my daughters, then you draw the ire of my wife and the fury of the X-Men."

Tony growled. He knew that Johnny was right.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. and the X-Men tried to make a play for Cassie," Ravenna explained. "Fortunately, Cass managed to calm both sides down before they came to blows. If you want answers, then come to the family home. Seven p.m. tonight. Cap and Cyclops have orders to bring eight representatives from their sides, counting themselves among them."

"We'll explain everything. And I do mean everything," Johnny said. Maybe then you'll see things in a different light."

"Consider us invited," T'Challa said, looking at Stark. "Expect my wife and myself at your home. I would like to hear this."

"As would I," Ororo seconded.

"You sure you want to tell them everything, Johnny?" Iron Fist asked. "It may...complicate things even further."

Stark turned to Danny. "You know something I don't know, Rand?"

"I do," Iron Fist replied. "Both Luke and myself. But it's not my place to say anything. All I can say is that the Cage family are more what they appear to be."

"Sounds pretty cryptic, if you ask me," T'Challa noted.

Johnny gave the Wakandan king a wry grin. "I'm a pretty cryptic guy." He and Ravenna departed from the rooftop. "See you guys at seven."

* * *

Fort Charles, Colonel Blade's Office – around the same time...

Like Johnny, Sonya had modeled her current office similar to that of her old office back in Earthrealm. While Sonya found it ironic that she was stationed at a base which had the same name as the one back in Earthrealm, she was not smiling at the moment.

She knew that this day would come, that the Avengers and the X-Men would later find out that their daughters were the hosts to the Phoenix Force. Julia had warned her of this beforehand.

"So what's the course of action?" Julia asked as she materialized into the office.

'Speak of the devil...' Sonya thought.

Julia grinned as she took a seat on the sofa. "You've been brooding ever since you've arrived," she noted.

"Am I that predictable?" Sonya asked.

"Some of the time," Julia replied, amused. "So what are you planning to do?"

"Johnny called earlier. Said that both sides made a play for the girls. Tonight...we tell them everything."

Julia knew what that meant. "So the truth comes out about your family's origins..."

Sonya nodded.

Julia smirked. "You do realize that I'm not the only one who knows about your family's origins."

Sonya froze. "What?"

"Charles Xavier. Daniel Rand. Luke Cage."

"I'm really gonna have to talk to Johnny and Cassie about that," Sonya mumbled.

Not to say that she was expecting this when she and Johnny split the powers of the Phoenix between Cassie and Ravenna. When it was discovered that Cassie had become the host to the Phoenix Force three years ago, Sonya had been frightened. After all, she knew what it had done to Jean Grey, a friend to Cassie and a mentor to Ravenna.

But it had been a final gift from Yao which helped Cassie and Ravenna control the cosmic energies of the Phoenix Force. Normally, Sonya had a problem when it came to sorcerers, particularly those who steal souls like candy and those who transform said stolen souls into undead thugs.

But it had been Yao's powers that had split the Phoenix Force in two. Not only that, but Johnny's warrior bloodline kept the power in check. And now, the Avengers and the X-Men were coming to their neck of the woods, with the intention of demanding that they hand over their daughters as if they were criminals.

Her loyalties may have lied with the government, but she was a mother above all.

Then, her intercom buzzed. "Colonel Blade?" the voice of her secretary squeaked through the speaker.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Charles Xavier is here to see you."

Sonya took a deep breath. 'At least I'm on good terms with Xavier,' she thought as she gave the order for him to enter her office.

Julia saw that as her cue to vanish, of which she had did as the blonde colonel rose from her chair as Charles Xavier entered the room. One thing about Xavier was that he had always placed her at ease, and that he never kept anything from her or Johnny when it concerns Cassie or Ravenna.

Which made hiding the fact that she, Johnny and Cassie were Earthrealm exiles all the more painful. Until Julia told her that Cassie had told him the truth. The question she wanted to know was how long did Charles know.

"Colonel Blade," Xavier greeted as he walked into the room.

Sonya waved a hand dismissively. "Sonya's fine, Professor. We've known each other long enough." She gestured to the chair. "Please."

"Thank you," Xavier said as he sat down. "I wouldn't have come here if it wasn't important, Sonya, but it concerns Cassie and Raven."

"The Phoenix Force."

Xavier raises an eyebrow. "So you know that Cassie and Raven are the hosts?"

Sonya nodded. "Three years. Cassie was the original host, but Johnny and I managed to have the power split between the girls so they can better control it. Cassie holds the dark half, while Raven holds the light half."

"And the Phoenix can't influence the girls?"

Sonya shook her head. "No. Johnny and I have both seen to it that they've been training on how to use the power responsibly."

Before Xavier could reply, Sonya's intercom buzzed to life once again. "Excuse the interruption, Colonel, but Carol Danvers and Natasha Romanoff are here to see you."

"Ugh..." Sonya groaned. "I do not need this shit today..." she muttered as she pressed the button on the intercom, all the while. "Send them in."

The door opened and Ms. Marvel entered the room, followed by the Black Widow, who were very surprised to see Xavier himself inside Sonya's office.

Quickly getting over her gaffe, Carol took the seat next to Xavier's exchanging pleasantries with both the mutant and the colonel seated at her desk. "Professor. Colonel."

"I was wondering how long it would take for Stark and the others to figure it out," Sonya mused.

"Why?" Carol demanded. "Why did you and Johnny keep it hidden from us? You of all people know just how dangerous the Phoenix Force is! It was bad enough that your entire family defied the Act, but..."

"I don't like your tone, Lieutenant Colonel Danvers."

Carol's rant died on her tongue. Even though she was a superheroine, the glare in Sonya's violet eyes and the calm frostiness in her voice could make even Maria Hill flinch.

Johnny called it the 'Blade death stare.' Back in Earthrealm, Johnny himself was on the receiving end of it so many times that he was immune to it. By the time she made General and was in command of S-F, she had mastered it.

Sonya's temper was already infamous following the Union Vale Incident, and even Natasha had seen the kind of damage she can do, be it with her bare hands or with her tech. The last thing neither woman wanted was to invoke Sonya's fury.

The blonde colonel took a moment to calm herself down. "When you have children of your own, Danvers, you would do anything and everything to keep them safe. Placing them under house arrest solely because of them being the hosts will do more harm than good."

Carol blinked. "Wait...what?"

"Cassandra isn't the only host to the Phoenix," Xavier explained. "Ravenna is also the host to the Phoenix, as both Colonel Blade and Johnny Cage managed to split the cosmic energies between their daughters."

Natasha was surprised, as was Carol. "Well...this changes things," the redhead said.

Xavier chose his words carefully. "There are those who believe that the Phoenix is a destroyer of worlds, which is true in many cases. But it is a beacon of hope for all mutants. Your children are the Mutant Messiahs, Colonel. We are on the brink of extinction, and we believe that the Phoenix Force can bring us back from the brink."

"The Phoenix Force is too dangerous to contain," rebuked Carol. "The only feasible solution is to have it contained, off-planet, if possible." She turned to Sonya. "Colonel...Sonya...please, for the sake of everyone on the planet...I know that Cassie and Raven are your daughters, but you have to let us do this."

Sonya's eyes narrowed. "If the roles were reversed...could you do what you're suggesting to your own children, Carol? Would you help them control their powers so they would see it as a boon...or a burden? Or would you lock them up and throw away the key?"

"I..." Carol began.

"It would not come to that, Colonel Blade," Natasha replied. "Cassandra and Ravenna would be in protective custody, under S.H.I.E.L.D. supervision. Just to be certain that the threat passes."

"And then what, Romanoff? You'd release my girls? Or would you find some half-assed excuse to keep them detained further? And what if they resist? S.H.I.E.L.D.'s not in my good graces, especially with the stunts you guys pulled with the Act. Why else would Johnny and I hide the fact that Cassie and Raven were mutants? Or the fact that my husband has inborn powers?"

Before Carol or Natasha could respond, Sonya's phone began to ring. Looking down at the caller ID, she saw that it was her husband. Snatching the phone up, she accepted the call. "Now's not a good time, Johnny. They know about Cassie and Raven."

Sonya's eyes widened, then narrowed once again, looking at Carol, who flinched slightly in her seat. "What...?

Carol knew that look from Sonya. Nine times of of ten, violence ensued. Thankfully, however, Sonya calmed down. "I know. I'll relay what you told me to the others," she said before ending the call.

"Everything okay?" Xavier asked.

"No. Cyclops and Captain America almost came to blows over my daughters," Sonya replied in an angry tone. "Fortunately, Cassie was able to defuse the situation before it got out of hand. You three want answers, then come to the family home tonight. This meeting is over." She pointed to the door. "There's the door. Use it."

Carol was about to reply, but Natasha's hand on her shoulder had silenced her. Giving Sonya another look of disappointment, she rose from her chair and left, Natasha bringing up the rear.

Xavier rose from his chair, but Sonya stopped him from leaving. "Charles. We're not done yet."

Xavier sat back down.

"Cassie told you the truth...about our family and our past, didn't she?" Sonya asked.

Xavier nodded. "She had let it slip out by accident. Rather than deny it, she told me everything, even allowed me to search her thoughts. Afterward, she swore me to secrecy. Honestly, I'd didn't see this coming. How did you know that I knew?"

"Madame Web," Sonya replied. "She found out by searching my thoughts. Iron Fist and Luke Cage found out from Johnny."

"I guess the cat's out of the bag come later tonight, I take it?"

Sonya nodded. "That will be all, Charles. You can go."

Sonya decided that now would be a good time to return home.

* * *

The mass funeral for those who had died in the attack took place hours after the attack.

With the death of Elektra at the hands of Kano, and the assault on the Red Lotus compound that resulted in Jade's death at the hands of Shang Tsung – on Raiden's extermination orders in regards to the elder kombatants – Raiden had effectively declared war on this Earth.

Kitana and Liu had led the funeral procession, both clad in black, morning the loss of their followers and fellow grandmaster. It had been Kitana who had lit the funeral pyre, the torch lit by Liu Kang's flames. As the bodies of Jade and those who had died were ingulfed into flames, reducing the bodies to ash, Kitana sat beside Liu, appearing to be catatonic and numb. But the eyes told a different story.

Kitana felt cold. And numb. And angry. Very, very angry. Not even as a revenant did she felt so much anger boiling inside of her. In her lap, was Jade's glaive and staff, one of the glaive's blades had a trail of blood on it, the blood being her own. Her hand was wrapped in a bandage.

Liu kniew the meaning. Kitana had made a blood oath to avenge Jade. He spoke enough Edenian to know what she had said.

" **Flesh of my flesh...this offense shall not go unanswered. Shang Tsung will die. This I vow, with my own blood, and on my honor as a Princess of Edenia.** "

* * *

For nearly twenty years, it sat inside a hidden compartment inside the master chamber's closet. Black leather, with blue trim, the metal gauntlets ending in wicked claws. The headdress showed that she was in a position of authority.

The combination of leather and steel was many things. Sleek. Sexy. Evil.

Kitana stared at the leather costume. She had made minor upgrades to it over the years, the recent changes being replacing the gauntlets to those back when she was a revenant (i.e., when she fought Jax) for more mobility.

She ran one hand along the dark material. She had promised herself that she would not wear this again.

But Jade's broken and charred body was all the motivation needed for her to grab the costume from its pedestal, leaving the headdress behind.

* * *

Liu found Kitana in their master chambers. Declaring that the main compound was unsafe for the time being, he had ordered all Red Lotus operatives into the fallback spots located around the region, leaving only a skeleton crew of battle-hardened Red Lotus to watch after the place.

He had just finished placing a call to Mey, Jade's adopted daughter. Mey had been upset, but was happy that her mother had given her life to save another.

For him, seeing her back in her Revenant Empress armor was odd. Mainly because she was alive, and not undead. Jade's enchanted staff and glaive were visible; the former strapped to her side and the latter on her back. Her hair was tied back into her bun and she had slipped the mask over the lower part of her face.

He knew what she had planned. She was going back to Earthrealm on a suicide mission.

This, he could not allow. Liu stood in the doorway, blocking Kitana from leaving.

"Move," she ordered.

"No."

Kitana opted to forcibly shove her husband out of the way. Liu chased after her, once again, barring her path. "Kitana, stop."

"Don't try and stop me, Liu," Kitana snapped, shoving her husband out of the way yet again. "I'm going to Earthrealm, and I'm going to take Shang Tsung's head."

"Kitana, wait!" Liu was in front of her again, forcing her to stop once more. "I loved Jade like a sister, but this is not the way!"

Kitana's eyes narrowed. "You of all people dare to preach to me about vengeance?"

"No. I don't. But going alone is a suicide mission," Liu pointed out. "If you return to Earthrealm, you will die, be it your soul will either be absorbed by Shang Tsung or sent back to the Netherrealm."

Kitana's shoulders slumped, head bowed. "I know." She looked at her husband. "This rage inside of me..."

Liu nodded. "I know, beloved. I feel it too. But we have to do this the right way." He tilted her head up and gently pulled down her mask. "Kitana...this is more than just about vengeance. Raiden has all but declared war on this planet in all but name. Don't let your desire for vengeance cloud your judgment."

Kitana sighed. "I supposed you're the authority on the subject," she said.

"Glad to see that you're thinking clearly now. We're going to San Francisco," Liu said, not beating around the bush. "We're going to need the help of Johnny Cage and his family."

A memory then clicked inside Kitana's head. It was something that Shang Tsung had said to them before launching his attack.

 _"Raiden has deemed the three of you, along with Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, too dangerous to live."_

Kitana knew of the rivalry between Kano and Sonya, of which he had dragged both Johnny and later, Cassie into the mix. As much as she disliked the Cage family (of which has somewhat lessened over the years), she hated Kano more, now more than ever for his murdering Elektra.

"While I don't dislike them as much as I used to," Liu continued, "an enemy of Shang Tsung and Raiden is an ally of ours. And we know from experience alone that the Cage family are powerful martial artists. Plus, there's their connections to both the X-Men and the Avengers."

Kitana slowly nodded. Somehow, over the course of nineteen years, Johnny and Sonya had made friends with some pretty powerful people. People who could rival Shang Tsung and Raiden in power. If Shang Tsung was able to search through Elektra's memories, then Shang would know that the planet would be a credible threat.

"But we need proof in order to get the parties mentioned to come to our side," Kitana pointed out.

"We got the Tarkarta's corpse and Elektra's photos," Liu said. "Get the photos. If I know Colonel Blade, then she knows how Kano thinks."

Kitana began to connect the dots together. "That's why you didn't order the last Tarkarta's body to be destroyed."

"If we need the Cage family and their allies on our side, then we need the proof," her husband clarified. "On top of that Cassie and Raven are mutants, and we can use our own memories of evidence of our claim."

Five minutes later, Kitana had a manilla folder in her hands and Liu was shouldering a bodybag, containing the Tarkarta's body. After making sure that the men guarding their home understood their orders, Kitana conjured a portal and the pair stepped through.

Their destination: San Francisco.

* * *

The Cove – later on.

Following the day's developments, an emergency meeting was being held inside the Cage family home.

Johnny sat in his favorite armchair, brooding, while Sonya was pacing the floor. Cassie and Simon were seated together on the love seat, while Ravenna had the couch to herself.

Cassie had been tight-lipped ever since leaving Land's End. Simon should had seen it coming. After all, he and Carol did date, and she was ex-Air Force. Some of the things she had done were top-secret. When they had broken up, Simon had vowed never again to get involved with a military woman.

Seeing as how he was with Cassie, that promise was broken and then some.

"I should be angry with you, Cassandra, but what had happened today was out of your hands," Sonya said. "I knew that it was only a matter of time before they found out about the both of you and the Phoenix."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Cassie apologized. "Both Summers and Rogers were about to try and kill each other, and I had to stop them. I made a judgment call."

"It was a good one, despite the circumstances," Sonya praised.

"We knew that this day would come when we separated the Phoenix into the both of you," Johnny said. "We also knew that sooner or later, we would have to come clean about our pasts. I just wasn't expecting not having to deal with both the X-Men and the Avengers here on my doorstep, especially with the Helicarrier over the city."

"So what do we do now?" Ravenna asked.

"We prepare, honey," Sonya said. "We tell them the truth, and come to an agreement. The seals that Yao developed and your father's bloodline help keep the Phoenix Force in check. We thought we could have more time in properly train the both of you, but Summers and Rogers forced out hand."

"Never a dull moment in this family," Ravenna muttered.

"Shoulda seen us back in Earthrealm," Cassie replied. "This is a cakewalk compared to all the crap Mom, Dad and me went through."

"Okay, time out," Simon said. "What exactly is this 'Earthrealm' you guys are talking about? I've been a good sport so far, but will someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?"

Cassie's parents exchanged glances. Then, Johnny turned to Cassie. "Show him," he said, as Sonya walked over to Cassie and placed one hand on her shoulder.

With Sonya's mind open to Cassie, the blond lieutenant turned to Simon. "Take your glasses off."

Simon did as he was asked. Unlike a normal human eyeball, Simon's eyes is permeated with shifting spots of energy, the end result of the ionic energy which granted him his powers.

" **Look into my eyes...** " Cassie said, the irises turning red. " **And don't blink.** "

A full minute passed, Cassie giving her boyfriend a glimpse into her and Sonya's memories, back when her and her parents were in Earthrealm, from Mortal Kombat to Shinnok's Invasion to Cassie beating down said fallen Elder God to save her father's life. Then, Cassie broke the link.

Simon blinked. Then, he took a deep breath. "Whoa...holy shit...that was intense..."

Suffice to say, Simon was very much surprised at the revelations that were shown to him. His girlfriend and her family were heroes, exiled from their home by circumstances beyond their control.

The superhero turned to Johnny. "You were an actor?"

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Sonya replied, looking amused.

"Let me see if I got this correct," Simon said. "You and Sonya, along with Liu are from Earthrealm, which is basically an alternative version of Earth. The both of you hook up, married, then divorced, but not before Cassie comes into the picture. Now you're remarried and has been for over eighteen years."

"That's about right," Johnny said, shrugging his shoulders.

"And now, your former boss, who is pissed over the fact that you all are alive and he wants to kill you four, and take Cassie back to Earthrealm, right?"

Simon sighed. "I knew this was going to be a lousy day. Had this happened before I became a hero...I wouldn't have believed it," Simon said. "But Cassie's been honest with me ever since we;ve been together...as crazy as this sounds." He looked at Johnny. "Guess that explains why you are so at home in front of the camera. Not even Stark could pull that off."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Old habits die hard. I don't miss it, though."

"Personally, I'm not surprised that he's freaking out over your age," Ravenna said.

Simon turned to Cassie. "And just how old are you, exactly?"

"Forty-one, officially," Cassie replied. "I was twenty-three before I de-aged and lost 16 years. Mom and Dad lost 30."

Simon shrugged his shoulders. "Guess I can check off 'Date an Older Woman' off my bucket list."

"Speaking of that," Sonya said, glaring at her husband and elder daughter, "explain as to how Xavier, Rand and Luke found out about us."

Cassie, for her part, looked sheepish. "I accidentally let it slip and since Xavier wouldn't let it go, I told him the truth. No one else doesn't know on his end."

Sonya then turned to Johnny. "And you?"

"Back when I returned to New York for the reopening of the childrens' hospital," Johnny replied. "Liu challenged Danny to a fight, and I promised an explanation if he won. Danny did and I told both him and Luke, swearing the both of them to secrecy."

"You're not so innocent yourself, Mom," Cassie said. "Julia knows about us as well."

Sonya sighed. "Guess I know better than to be mad with daughters for telepaths." Turning to Cassie, she said, "Seven, right?"

Cassie nodded. "Add Summers and Rogers, and the grand total comes to eight apiece."

Johnny sighed. "Is the house insured just in case both sides decide to have a free-for-all?"

"I don't think it covers 'superhero damage,' Sonya said, amused.

"Knew I shoulda picked up that policy from Damage Control," her husband muttered. "Least the business is covered..."

Cassie's head turned to the direction of the outdoor patio. Ravenna's head followed suit. Puzzled, Johnny and Sonya looked to what caught their daughters' attention, followed by Simon.

Out on the beach, a yard away from the outdoor patio, a portal, the energies radiating a soft blue, had just materialized.

"What is that?" Simon asked, pointing to the portal.

"A portal," Sonya replied. She turned to Johnny. "Is that you?" she asked.

Johnny shook his head. "Not me. Color's off." Turning to Simon, Cassie and Ravenna, he said, "Get ready, just in case whoever shows up isn't friendly."

The girls nodded. Looking just as worried as her husband, Sonya followed Johnny outside, while Cassie calmly brandishes one of her Desert Eagles, while Ravenna armed herself with her katana. Simon was poised, ready for battle.

Sonya and Johnny were somewhat relieved to see Liu Kang and Kitana step through, the portal vanishing behind them. Both were dressed for battle; Liu in his traditional attire (i.e., his default costume from MKX), while Kitana was clad in black leather with blue trim.

Johnny and Sonya noted the grim look on the former Shaolin's face while Kitana's showed puffy cheeks and reddened eyes, signs that she had been crying. The couple also took notice of Jade's glaive and staff in Kitana's possession, and a folder in her hands. They also took notice of the bodybag slung over Liu's shoulder.

"This is not a good time, Liu," Johnny said, the humor gone in his voice.

Sonya turned to the house, and gave her daughters the 'all-clear' signal. Cassie and Ravenna lowered their weapons. Simon lowered his fists.

"Believe me when I say that coming here was a last resort, but we had no other choice," Liu replied. He looked at Simon. "Who's he?"

"My boyfriend," Cassie said. After a quick introduction, Cassie vouched for him. "He knows about our past in Earthrealm. He can be trusted."

"Is that a bodybag?" Sonya asked.

Liu nodded. He set it down and unzipped it, showing the couple the Tarkarta's corpse. To say that Johnny and Sonya were surprised was an understatement. The foul scent of the Tarkarta had hit the couple first, their children and Simon next.

You don't know the word stink until you smelled a Tarkarta.

Cassie and Ravenna walked over and took a peek inside the bodybag. Ravenna wrenched her face. "What the hell is that?" she asked.

"Tarkarta," Cassie explained. "Native to Outworld. Mileena's rebel army consisted of these bastards. Very dangerous."

"We were attacked at our home by the Tarkarta no less than thirty-six hours ago," Kitana explained. "Shang Tsung led the attack."

"Shang Tsung?" both Johnny and Sonya repeated.

"He's dead, right? He should be dead," Cassie seconded.

Liu shook his head. "No. Shang Tsung is alive." His expression then darkened. "He knows we're here."

Cassie and her parents exchanged looks. Now they were worried. Liu didn't say his name, but they knew who the former monk spoke of.

Raiden. The corrupted thunder god knew that they were here.

"Raiden has ordered our termination," Kitana said. "The both of you along with the both of us, while Cassandra is to be captured and brought back to Earthrealm. Shang Tsung is working with Raiden. He was able to track us down to this realm." She handed Sonya the manilla folder. "I believe this may be of interest to you."

Sonya accepted it and opened the folder. The photo of Elektra's mutilated corpse greeted the blonde colonel.

Johnny looked at the photo. "Damn. Is that Elektra?" he asked.

Kitana nodded. "She's dead."

"Son of a bitch..." Sonya swore. "Kano. He's here."

Simon turned to Johnny. "Kano?"

"Mercenary, psychopath, all-around asshole," Johnny explained. "If you meet a guy with an Outback accent with a faceplate and a penchant for knives, then you met Kano."

Cassie looked at her mother. "Kano? Here? You sure?"

Sonya handed the photo of Elektra's corpse to her elder daughter. "That's his calling card. His 'necktie.'"

"Elektra had nothing to do with us," Johnny said. "Why did Kano off her?"

"You can ask him that when he comes with the Hand as backup," Liu replied, answering the question.

"Shang Tsung killed Jade," Kitana deadpanned. "She died protecting me."

"Damn," Johnny said.

"I'm sorry," Sonya added. "I know that you and Jade were close."

"I'm sorry about Jade," Cassie added.

"Condolences," Ravenna added.

"Thank you. She was my friend," Kitana said. "We grew up together...trained together...even died together the first time. Shang Tsung killed her and I want bloody satisfaction."

"Kano is in Raiden's camp," Liu continued. "Him and the Black Dragon. And if he finds out about Ravenna, then he shall take her as well."

Cassie scoffed. "Unbelievable. Just like Kano to save his own skin by joining Raiden."

"As you can see," Liu said, "we have a mutual problem. Raiden wants us dead, and Cassandra subjugated and brought back to Earthrealm. Which also means that Ravenna is also at risk should he finds out about her."

"Worse case scenario is that he destroys this planet," Kitana added.

"As if the day couldn't get any worse," Johnny muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "Rogers and Summers know about the girls."

"Being the hosts to the Phoenix?" Kitana asked.

"You know about that?" Sonya asked, shocked.

"Of course. We saw a demonstration of their power whilst onboard Osborn's Hellicarrier," Liu confirmed. "Impressive...and terrifying. And no, the Goblin did not hire us. We were on assignment, as his men killed one of our number. Kill one our ours, we kill ten in response."

Simon then raised his hand, as if he was a kid in a classroom. When Cassie turned to him, he asked, "Why were you and your sister on Osborn's Helicarrier?"

Cassie smiled meanly. "We both were kidnapped. It was before Osborn launched his attack on Asgard. Raven and I were both in New York on vacation. We knew of the bad blood between our family and Osborn, and were on our guard."

"We just didn't expect for Osborn to send the Purple Man after us," Ravenna added.

Simon recognized the name. The Purple Man had the power of mind control, and had made the lives of Daredevil, Jessica Jones and her husband a living hell for a number of years.

"We had ordered Chinese, not that mind-controlling freak," Ravenna continued. "We didn't stand a chance. When the mind control wore off, we were in a holding cell onboard the Helicarrier."

[Flashback]

 _H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier Holding Cell - shortly before the Asgard Siege..._

 _If there was one thing that Cassandra Cage hated, it was villains who used mind control. She had been a past victim of it by means of the Blood Code, thanks to the machinations of Havik._

 _Now, she mentally cursed herself for succumbing to the whims of the Purple Man. The purple-skinned villain was watching her, leaning up against the wall, casually munching on an apple._

 _"Cassie?"_

 _Cassie turned her head. Ravenna sat in the chair next to her, shackled, just like her sister. "Ravenna, you okay?"_

 _The younger Cage nodded. "Yeah. Head hurts."_

 _"Side effect of my control over you," the Purple Man said. "It'll pass."_

 _Cassie glared at the supervillain. "I hope you have a valid reason as to why you decided to fuck with me and my sister," she said._

 _"Director Osborn requested your presence," Madame Masque replied, entering the room, the light glinting off her mask._

 _"So what? He sends Killgrave after us? What's wrong? Tired of screwing around with Jessica after her husband turned your face into raw hamburger the last time?"_

 _"I go where the money is," Killgrave replied. "And Osborn has paid handsomely for my services in regards to the both of you."_

 _Cassie looked at Masque. "So H.A.M.M.E.R. is working with the Hood. Whoopty-fucking-shit."_

 _Masque tilted her head. "You don't seem to be worried about the situation that you're in, Cage." She produced a PDA, and punched in several keys. "This was sent to your father about thirty minutes ago."_

 _She turned the item so that Cassie and Ravenna were looking at the screen. The image of Norman Osborn greeted them, the older man looking smug._

 _"I believe in honesty. In this business, honesty is a virtue, as is integrity. I also believe in ambition and limitation. And the importance of knowing your own. A lesson you, Chairman, should have learned a long time ago - the lesson of limitation. We share...several similarities, Chairman, one of which is that we both are fathers. Whereas I and my son are not on...'pleasant' terms, you would do anything for your daughters, as any father would."_

 _His smile went sinister. "Both Ravenna and Cassandra are...my guests. I, for one, would not harm a hair on their pretty little heads. My less-than-moral associates, on the other hand...well, you can almost imagine the looks your daughters got when they boarded. Their lives are in your hands, Chairman. A price has to be paid, say...Cage Incorporated in its entirety, for their release? You don't have to answer quickly. You got...72 hours to decide which is more important: your girls, or your business."_

 _Masque ended the video, her ice-blue eyes glinting in triumph._

 _Cassie, for one, didn't look impressed. "Your boss has got to be the dumbest man on the planet," she said. "We don't negotiate with scumbags. There's no way Dad's gonna just hand over his business to him."_

 _"Then both you and your sister will pay with a fate worse than death," Masque replied. "It will be something, to watch as Robbins' men treat the both of you like a piece of meat. See if any man would want you after they're done with you."_

 _Cassie smirked. "Why? Jealous that no one would touch you because of your face?"_

 _That earned Cassie a hard punch to the face. For Cassie, it stung. For Masque, it hurt her hand. That provoked Masque in drawing her pistol._

 _"Go ahead," Cassie taunted. "Kill me and my sister. See what happens."_

 _Masque considered pulling the trigger, but Killgrave stopped her. "She's baiting you, Frost. She and her sister are worth more to the both of us alive rather than dead."_

 _Masque looked as if she was going to pull the trigger regardless. But she relented and holstered her gun. "I'm gonna enjoy watching you break, Cage. They all do."_

 _Cassie looked amused. "Pretty funny, seeing as how you don't know my parents or us too well. In fact, I'm going to give you a gift, Frost. I'm going to kill you last."_

 _Masque leaned in, her masked face close to Cassie's her ice-blue eyes staring down into Cassie's azure orbs. "We'll see, won't we?" she said before both her and Killgrave left the room._

[End Flashback]

"Prior to being kidnapped, no one – save for the X-Men and my parents – knew that Cassie and me were mutants," Ravenna explained to her sister's boyfriend. As an afterthought, she added, pointing to Liu and Kitana, "And these two."

"Liu and myself were on assignment, with Osborn as our target," Kitana explained. "That's where we ran into Cassie and Raven, who told us that our target was not on board." She then added, looking at Cassie, "You have developed quite the killer instinct in your time here."

"Just imagine if she had been a mutant when we both were revenants," Liu added. "In some cases, Cassandra and Ravenna scare even me. They both have a vicious streak a mile wide."

Simon looked at Cassie, who merely shrugged her shoulders. "Not a word, you. You were the bad guy once."

Wisely, Simon remained silent.

Liu muttered "Whipped," in Chinese. Kitana elbowed him in the gut.

"Osborn and his buddies didn't realize that Cassie and myself were mutants," Ravenna continued. "Mom and Dad both said to only use our powers in cases of extreme duress." She smiled meanly. "'If you fuck with a Cage, then your anger must be three things: it must cold, reasoned and above all, legendary.'"

"At the same time that Liu and Kitana arrived on the Helicarrier, Ravenna and I escaped from our cell," Cassie continued. "We met up with them and decided to raise some hell."

Kitana remembered that day. While all four of them were highly-trained martial artists, they were in hostile territory, onboard a helicarrier that contained the Hood's gang and a battalion of H.A.M.M.E.R. soldiers.

"Sometimes, a difficult problem requires a practical solution," Cassie said. "Which is why Ravenna and I gave those bastards a taste of their own medicine; we made them think that the other party were Skrulls, causing them to kill each other."

"All except Killgrave and Frost," Liu muttered. He mentally shuddered as he remembered what had happened next.

[Flashback]

 _H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier - Bridge._

 _Cassie Cage wasn't one to take any chances. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way. Especially when it came to bad guys and mind control._

 _Madame Masque had fled when the fighting had started, but Zebediah Killgrave remained._

 _When he turned and saw Cassie and her sister, along with Liu Kang and Kitana (both in their Revenant disguise), he tried to utter a sentence, but found himself unable to, as Cassie had him floating in the air, his windpipe being mentally crushed by Cassie's mind._

 _"Not this time," Cassie snarled, blue eyes alight in fury. "GET OVER HERE!"_

 _Killgrave found himself being flung towards a furious Cassie._

 _Liu and Kitana watched as Cassie proceeded to beat the high holy fuck out of the Purple Man, their reddish-golden eyes widened in shock. They knew that Cassie could fight, given as to who her and Ravenna's parents were, but they never saw her so...vicious. Not even back at the Sky Temple where she led her team against the revenants._

 _The Purple Man fell to his knees, coughing, Cassie's fist having slammed into his throat. With his voicebox temporary disabled, Cassie turned to Ravenna. "Oh baby sister...how high up are we?"_

 _"I heard at least a thousand feet, give or take," Ravenna replied._

 _Cassie looked disappointed. "That's all? Oh well."_

 _Killgrave found himself being lifted into the air once again. Cassie had her attention back to him. "Since you like to give out commands, Killgrave, I got one for you. Fly."_

 _With that, Killgrave found himself being flung towards the window. He found out the hard way that while the windows itself were thick, they were not shatterproof. He found his voice, only to scream as gravity took hold, his voice fading as he fell._

 _Satisfied with her handiwork, Cassie turned from the window and stormed past her sister and the assassins. "Now what?" Ravenna asked._

 _Cassie stopped and turned around. "Gonna have a chat with Masque."_

 _As Cassie stalked off the bridge, with her sister chasing after her, Liu and Kitana exchanged looks. They both knew that this wasn't going to end well._

[End Flashback]

Simon looked at Cassie as if she had grown a third head. He knew that his girlfriend had a vicious streak, but to hear Liu Kang recall about how she had done what neither Iron Fist, Daredevil or Luke and Jessica could do, and that was to turn the Purple Man into a purple smear.

"I hate those who use mind control," Cassie explained. "I got a bad...experience with it, as does my parents."

Simon could only nod, as he saw that memory in regards to the Blood Code. Honestly, he couldn't blame her.

"Sure enough, Cassie found Madame Masque," Kitana continued. "Compared to what she had done to the Purple Man, that was considered merciful."

[Flashback]

 _Corridors of the H.A.M.M.E.R. Helicarrier..._

 _Madame Masque did not see this coming when she agreed to Osborn's scheme. She had seen the footage of how Cassie's parents had beaten the crap out of him, and felt as if he had been justified in wanting revenge. It had been a simple plan; kidnap Johnny and Sonya's daughters and force Johnny to hand over Cage Incorporated to Osborn, who would take delivery once he was finished with the Asgard Siege._

 _And if Johnny refused, then Osborn would throw the girls to the dogs._

 _They just didn't count on Cassie and Ravenna not only being mutants, but also telepaths._

 _Parker Robbins was gone, having bailed on her. While the Helicarrier was on autopilot, most of its crew were dead, while her and Parker's gang was all dead._

 _And she knew that she was next. Which is why she was running for her life. Screw the payday and screw Osborn. All she wanted was to get the hell off of this flying boat and away from Cassie and her sister._

 _"Hey, cutie pie..."_

 _Masque froze at the sound of Cassie's faux-cheerful voice._

 _"...one of us is in deep trouble," Cassie finished, flanked by her sister and the former revanants-turned-assassins._

 _Masque slowly turned around. She knew that Cassie had her at her mercy. "Cassandra...Cassie..."_

 _"Not such a big woman now are ya?" Cassie taunted. "Where's your friends? Where's Killgrave? Hell, Osborn isn't even here to save your sorry ass."_

 _"You kill me," Masque threatened, "my father will take revenge."_

 _This time, it was Kitana that spoke. "Your father is dead." When Masque's eyes widened in surprise, Kitana continued. "The Red Lotus knows who you are, Whitney Frost. Or should I say, Giluetta Kristina Nefaria. Your father was Count Luchino Nefaria. Your father has been dead for quite a while now. Even more funny is that we didn't kill him. His fellow mobsters not only killed him, but also wiped out his crime syndicate."_

 _Whitney still had her backup piece, which was nestled in the small of her back. "Okay...I surrender. I give up."_

 _"Who said anything about bringing you in?" Cassie replied. "I remember saying that I was going to kill you last."_

 _"You can't kill me!" Masque objected. "You're an officer of the law! You have to arrest me! This isn't you! This is brutality."_

 _"See, that's where you're wrong, Frost," Cassie replied. "This is not brutality."_

 _With a yell, Masque grabbed her backup piece and aimed it at Cassie..._

 _...only for Cassie to slam the villainess into the wall behind her, causing Masque to drop her firearm as she fell to the floor, face-first. But Cassie wasn't finished. Masque's head raised, then slammed into the floor, the impact denting her mask._

 _The mask shattered after eight hits, exposing her scarred face. But Cassie kept on going, bashing Masque's face into the ground repeatedly for the next six seconds. Some twenty-plus hits later, Masque's face had been reduced to nothing but raw hamburger. Not even her nose, eyes or mouth remained. It was safe to say that she was dead as a doornail._

 _Cassie slammed her face down into the floor one final time. "As I said before, this is not brutality..." She walked over to Masque's body, raised her foot, and slammed it into the back of Masque's neck, breaking it. "...this is fatality."_

 _Liu in the meantime, turned to Kitana. "Now I'm really glad that she didn't have these powers back in Earthrealm."_

 _Kitana slowly nodded. She could almost imagine the kind of damage that Cassie could do back in Earthrealm. Although seeing her use those powers to bounce Shinnok's corrupted form all over the Jinsei Chamber would be something to see._

 _It reminded Kitana of the dialogue she and Jax had back when she was a revenant and he led the charge into the Netherrealm. Cassie Cage played the victim no longer. And after what she had went through, Kitana honestly couldn't blame her._

[End Flashback]

"Liu and Kitana dropped us off in San Francisco, where we made our way to Dad's business," Ravenna concluded. "Mom was already there, preparing to launch a rescue mission onto the Helicarrier."

Cassie chuckled. "Osborn was pissed when he found out that not only did we escape, but that the Avengers were able to take control of the Helicarrier. He couldn't do anything about it, as the Siege was taking place. And the rest, they say, is history."

"Great," Simon muttered. "My girlfriend is a sociopath."

"No. I just don't like to play the role of a victim," Cassie replied. "It suits me. I try not to kill, with the exception being that either my life or those of my friends and loved ones are threatened."

"So...what happens now?" Kitana asked.

"Since there's no point in hiding, might as well come clean about our past," Johnny said. "Hope that we can gain support from the Avengers and the X-Men."

Liu scoffed. "Still the actor, after all this time. Trying to garner sympathy in a time like this."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Even though I haven't acted in almost 20 years, old habits die hard."

Kitana walked onto the patio and crouched down. Chanting an Edenian incantation, an intricate set of seals appeared on the wooden deck before vanishing.

"What did you do?" Johnny asked.

"A protection spell," Kitana explained. "It blocks enemy portals from appearing."

"Nice," Johnny complimented. He looked at his watch. "Three hours before our guests arrive. At least now, we can catch up on past events, and make plans." Johnny sighed. "I thought I got out of being the hero."

"Fate has a strange way of making certain events come full circle, it seems," Liu noted.

"Come in," Sonya said. "And tell us everything that has happened. And I mean everything."

* * *

Three hours later...

Maria Hill didn't know what to expect when she and the other seven Avengers had arrived at the Cage family via Quintjet.

She had expected a mansion, given Johnny's immense wealth as the founder of Cage Incorporated. Instead, she and the others found a beachhouse, formerly a bed-and-breakfast.

Maria found it rather...homely, given the circumstances.

Maria stood in the living room, checking out the various pictures and awards on the shelf. Family pictures of Johnny, Sonya, Cassie and Ravenna. A picture of Sonya, having completed officers' candidate school sat proudly beside a photo taken at Cassie's West Point graduation, along with Cassie and Ravenna's high school diplomas. There was the photo of Johnny and Sonya taken at the fundraiser gala at the Waldorf-Astoria, a photo op of Tony, Johnny and Danny, shot for a magazine article. A picture of Johnny and Sonya's wedding at the courthouse in New York, and the 15th wedding anniversary in which they renewed their vows. A picture of Ravenna in a tanktop and hakama, standing next to Psylocke and Kitty Pryde.

It was the image of the family Maria herself had lacked growing up. Maria was born in Chicago, the day of her birth the temperature was -44 degrees. As Maria's mother died in childbirth, her father never forgave her for causing the death of his wife, thus leading to her cold personalty.

Two pictures was hidden behind a family photo, taken on the beach. Curious, Maria pushed the photo out of the way and retrieved the both of them.

She identified Cassie easily, yet chortled softly at her hideous undercut hairstyle, which she tied back into a bun. The other three people in the photo – the two Asian men and the African-American woman – she didn't recognize. The photo had been a selfie, but the other three had managed to squeeze their way into the picture. While Cassie wore a bodysuit similar to her own, the woman had a gray tanktop and camo fatigues. The first Asian man was dressed like a warrior monk, while the second was clad in advanced armor.

Maria flipped the photo over. Written in Cassie's handwriting was the words **TEAM S-F**.

The second photo also showed Team S-F - as Cassie called her teammates - along with Cassie's parents and two more men. The dark-skinned man had his bionic hands on the shoulders of the other woman – his daughter, Maria had deduced, while the second man stood behind the armored man, the red bandanna covering his eyes showing that he was blind.

But what made Maria pause was Johnny and Sonya.

The former's hair was streaked grey at the sides, not to mention that he looked older, and he could see a tattoo poking out from underneath Johnny's chest. Johnny had no tattoo. Sonya looked the same, but had the rank of General, rather than Colonel. The photo was taken at some kind of temple.

Maria flipped the photo. On the back was the following: **JOHNNY CAGE, GENERAL SONYA BLADE, SERGEANT CASSANDRA CAGE, SPECIALIST JACQUELINE BRIGGS, TAKAHASHI TAKEDA, TAKAHASHI KENSHI, JACKSON BRIGGS - SKY TEMPLE.**

"Director."

Maria turned to her left. Iron Man stood beside her.

"Not what I was expecting," Iron Man noted, "I'd thought he'd be in a mansion." He looked at the photos.

"What do you make of this?" Maria asked, showing him the Sky Temple photo.

"The photo looks recent...but there's some minor differences," Stark noted as he scanned the picture. "Sonya's a General in his picture, but she's a Colonel. And Johnny looks older."

"No. Not recent," Iron Man replied. "This photo's almost 20 years old."

"Tony. Director. It's time."

Cap's voice brought them out of their private session, but not before Iron Man scanned the photo. He would make sure to ask the Cage family about that later. He placed the photo back onto the mantle and followed Maria out onto the patio, where Steve and the others were settling in.

Following the near-explosive confrontation between Captain America and Cyclops, Cap had returned to the Helicarrer along with Maria with the revelations in regards to Cassie, Raven and the Phoenix, with Stark and Carol also confirming what Johnny and Sonya had told them about their daughters being the hosts to the Phoenix Force.

Cap also had the unfortunate pleasure of choosing the other seven to accompany him to The Cove. Maria, Iron Man and Ms. Marvel volunteered themselves, and due to Johnny's friendship with Danny, Iron Fist was the fourth. Stephen Strange, the Black Panther and Luke Cage were the last of the group chosen by Rogers himself.

Both Storm and Wolverine wasn't offended. They instead arrived with their former allies, the X-Men, the presence of the Avengers only increased the tension, given the ramifications and what was at stake. Charles Xavier was a no-brainer, given that he was friends with the Cage family, followed by Cyclops. Both Cyclops and Wolverine were civil towards one another, despite the bad blood between the two men.

Cassie had made it clear that she could crush their testicles with her mind as well as with her fists.

Emma Frost also accompanied Xavier and Cyclops, primarily to keep Logan and Scott from trying to kill each other. Namor also attended. Last, were Ravenna's friends, Hope Summers and Illyana Rasputin, who had volunteered to come along.

Cassie Cage looked out at the gathered group of heroes, seated on the outdoor deck, and wondered if she had made the right decision in inviting them here to her family's home. Sure her mother had praised her for her quick thinking, but the self-doubt was starting to creep into her mind once again.

'Fuck. I thought I got over that shit after Shinnok,' she thought.

' **Are you sure you've done the right thing in inviting them here?** ' Ravenna mentally asked her sister.

' **Usually, I never ask that question until after I've done it,** ' Cassie replied.

Johnny and Sonya sat together, their daughters flanking them on either side. Liu Kang and Kitana both sat side-by-side on a bench. Simon sat next to Cassie, a look of support on his face.

The married couple had somber looks on their faces, a stark contrast to Johnny's carefree and laid-back appearance and Sonya's cool and confident exterior.

In the back of his mind, Johnny wondered if his insurance covered damages caused by fighting superheroes.

"Honestly, I'm surprised that it took both parties to figure out our connection to the Phoenix Force," Johnny said. "We didn't call all of you here to hear as to why we should have over our daughters to either one of you."

"So why did Cassie call us here?" Stark asked.

Johnny and Sonya exchanged glances. "Because Cassie and Ravenna are not the only ones with secrets," Johnny replied. "While Ravenna is native to this Earth, Cassie, Sonya and myself are not."

"The same can be said for the both of us," Liu added.

"And you are?" the Black Panther asked.

"Are you familiar with the Red Lotus?" Kitana asked.

The heroes nodded.

"Liu and I are the founders of the clan," Kitana explained.

"What? So you're aliens?" Luke asked.

"No. We're human. Just from an alternative Earth," Sonya replied.

"You're not Skrulls, are you?" Wolverine asked.

Sonya sighed irritably. "No. We're not."

Captain America looked at the family long and hard. "Stephen?"

"They're human," the Sorcerer Supreme confirmed, following his chanting a spell to ensure that they were human. He looked at Kitana. "You look human...but you're not."

"We're from Earth, just not this one," Sonya continued. "I guess we should start from the beginning."

"The Earth we came from is called Earthrealm," Johnny began. "Same as this one, except there are no superpowered mutants and heroes running about tearing up the place. Instead, what we have is gods, sorcerers, demons and cursed artifacts. Earthrealm was one of six major realms – the others being the Netherrealm, Outworld, Seido, Edenia and Chaosrealm."

"The six realms were originally one cosmic entity known as the One Being," Liu continued. "The One Being fed on the essence of the Elder Gods, before they rebelled and defeated the One Being. In an attempt to weaken the One Being's near-infinite power, the Elder Gods split the One Being into the six realms and created from its essence six Kamidogu - enchanted daggers with the power to invoke Blood Magik."

"Of which, Johnny, Cassie and myself can speak from experience that Blood Magik is very dangerous," Sonya added

Meanwhile, Iron Man was scanning the vitals of the Cage family and the two assassins. Much to his surprise, they were not lying. Logan, in the meantime, was checking them of any deceit by sniffing the air. There was none.

"So...you're not from this Earthrealm, aren't you?" Ms. Marvel asked Kitana.

"No. I'm Edenian in origin, my parents were the last rulers of the realm," Kitana replied.

"Knew it," the Panther muttered. "You carried yourself as if you were royalty."

"I am both a princess and an assassin," Kitana said. "I was the heir to the throne, and stepdaughter to Shao Kahn."

"Who?" Cap repeated.

Using her powers, Kitana conjured an image of her long-deceased stepfather ; standing well over seven feet tall, and insanely muscular. A helmet which was formed out of a skull was placed over his horned face. His attire consisted of spiked armor: shoulder pads, greaves and wrist guards. The Wrath Hammer was in one hand.

"Shao Kahn, the Emperor of Outworld," Johnny explained. "Former adviser to Onaga, the Dragon King, until he poisoned him and took over the place. Then he set his sights on Edenia. However, the Elder Gods decided to give the Edenians a fighting chance, hence Mortal Kombat."

"Mortal Kombat?" Cyclops repeated.

"Yeah, and that's 'Kombat' with a K. Don't ask, just go with it," Johnny replied.

"Mortal Kombat is a tournament, which is held once a generation," Kitana explained. "Win ten Mortal Kombats in a row, then you can invade the losing realm without invoking the Elder Gods' wrath. My father, King Jerrod, lost ten straight Mortal Kombats and Shao Kahn invaded, killing my father and taking both my mother as his wife and myself as his daughter. However, as Kahn set his sights on Earthrealm, Sindel committed suicide, her soul acting as a barrier in order to keep Kahn out of Earthrealm."

"By the time Liu, Sonya and myself came into the picture," Johnny said as Kitana banished the image of Shao Kahn, "Earthrealm had already lost nine Mortal Kombats. This would be the tenth – and if we lost, the final – tournament."

Sonya turned to Xavier. "Professor...can you probe into our minds and show them our past?"

Xavier nodded.

"Do it," Johnny said. "Go back about...45 years, give or take."

That got everyone's attention. "Forty-five years?" Iron Man repeated. "You don't look that old."

"Trust me when I say that with the exception of Raven, we're a lot older than we look, with Kitana beating us by a wide margin," Johnny replied. "Before we came here, I was fifty-four, Sonya was three years younger than me, and Cassie was twenty-two. Somehow, when we stepped through the portal, Sonya and I lost thirty years, while Cassie lost sixteen. While I'm officialy forty-three, with Sonya being forty and Cassie twenty-five, add on the nineteen years and you get a different age, our real age."

"You would be seventy-three," Magik said after doing the math in her head. "And Colonel Blade would be seventy."

"And Cassie would be forty-one," Hope finished.

Logan let out a whistle. "And I thought Cap here was well-preserved."

"Oh, Kitana has us all beat," Liu said. "Edenians are known for their long lives."

"Exactly how long?" Iron Man asked.

"I'm over ten thousand years old," Kitana confirmed.

Cap turned to Iron Man. "Stark?"

Iron Man sighed. "No changes in their vitals. As shocking as this sounds, they're telling the truth." He removed his helmet. "Why do I have this strange feeling that this is going to be one bad trip?"

"You don't know the half of it," Sonya replied.

"Oh, and another thing," Johnny added. "We'll answer ay and all questions once this is over. Not before." Turning to Xavier, he said one word. "Proceed."

Xavier nodded. He placed his index and middle fingers at his temples, closed his eyes, and concentrated. It was as if he was repeating what had happened with the Hulk when he had decided to invade Earth in retaliation for being shot into space by Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Blackbolt and Mr. Fantastic. Only this time, he was allowing the feedback from the five elder kombatants' minds to envelop everyone present.

The outdoor deck and the house just seem to..fade away, leaving nothing but darkness.


	13. 8: The Past

**Chapter Eight: The Past**

Snafu's Notes: Hoo boy...I went through three versions of this. The first version didn't have Liu or Kitana (as they were still ruling the Netherrealm by this time). The second version didn't have Liu and Kitana show up until after the heroes viewed the Cage family's Earthrealm past. But since Kitana and Liu are present when the Avengers and X-Men showed up, I had to incorporate Liu and Kitana's storylines into the flashback scenes. Originally, this was to be in two parts, but I ended up chopping most of the chapter. So basically, this chapter has a little bit of everything from the past drafts.

When Tony said that he had a bad feeling that this was going to be one bad trip, he truly had no idea as to the scope of what he was about to witness.

He thought that he knew everything about the Cage family. The S.H.I.E.L.D. files on them were very detailed down to the last letter. But for those who didn't know the truth about Johnny, Sonya, Cassie, Kitana and Liu Kang nothing has ever prepared them for this.

For Liu Kang and Kitana, it was as if they were experiencing the whole 'out-of-body' event all over again. The first time was shortly after their resurrection by Jade's hands.

Now, they were going to experience it yet again. And this time, the Avengers and the X-Men were being brought along for the ride. Johnny had a point, Liu admitted. By seeing what they had experienced, their trials and tribulations, their victories and losses, would the gathering of heroes understand the bigger picture.

The past memories of the elder Kombatants began to play, showing their lives before Mortal Kombat.

Johnny Cage's life as an actor, arguing with the director over a botched take...

" _Forget it! I'm not doing it again. Use the outtakes!"_

" _It's the last shot of the film, Cage! Where are you going?"_

" _I'm going to my trailer, get a gun and I'm going to shoot myself for being in your movie!"_

...Sonya Blade and her partner/superior officer, Jackson Briggs, brandishing riot shotguns as they raid a warehouse which housed a nightclub in Hong Kong...

 _"Let's go! Sixty seconds to target! Jax, is the perimeter secure?"_

 _"Locked down tight!"_

 _"It damn well better be! I want Kano!"_

 _"Trust me, Sonya! The perimeter's locked down!"_

 _"I trust one person, Jax, and you're talking to her!"_

...Liu Kang's life as a Shaolin and a member of the White Lotus Society, mentored by Raiden...

" _Your mind and spirit must work as one to walk with the wind. These attributes will enable you to put an end to Shang Tsung's treachery. Earthrealm depend on your victory."_

" _I will not fail, Lord Raiden. That is my promise."_

...and finally, Kitana's life as a princess of Outworld, and Shao Kahn's chief assassin, growing up in a life of privilege.

" _Would you please your father, Kitana?"_

" _Your words are my will, Father."_

Next, came the tournament itself. Mortal Kombat, being held on Shang Tsung's island fortress.

With Sonya not being interested in Johnny...

" _Hey, beautiful. Name's Johnny Cage."_

" _Good for you."_

" _What? 'Massive Strike?' 'Citizen Cage?' 'Ninja Mime?' Ring a bell?"_

...which was followed by him fighting and defeating Reptile...

" _He got Caged! That's it! Ha-ha-haa! Oh, yeah! I'm so pretty!"_

...followed by him talking trash down the line of fighters, ending at Sonya...

" _And I'm takin' you down, I'm takin' you down, I'm takin' you out, I'm takin' you out, I'm takin' you out, and I''m takin you out...for dinner."_

...the ensuing fight between Johnny and Sonya did put a smile on the face of Ms. Marvel, who noted that Johnny's ego could give Tony's a run for his money...

" _Look, baby, I can't let you run loose without an escort."_

" _I don't need an escort, and I'm sure as hell not your baby!"_

...Kano's arrival, as he flung Johnny off the bridge and began to torture Sonya with repeated laser blasts following Cage winning the fight...

 _So...tell me how things at command?"_

" _You bastard!"_

" _Such a gullible little bitch. All I had to do was to just point you in the wrong direction. Couldn'ta done it without ya!"  
_

" _S-F is on the way! You won't get far!"_

" _Oh, I got a knack for surviving, love. You, on the other hand are going to die here."_

...to Johnny flipping himself back onto the bridge and fighting Kano, saving her life...

" _Fans think my moves are all wire work and special effects. The truth is... I **am** the special effects."_

...Raiden bringing the warriors together to explain what was to come following his healing of Jax...

" _In my visions, Shao Kahn becomes invincible. He destroys all life in Earthrealm. We will all die. I believe these flashes are a guide to defeating Shao Kahn. But disrupting the flow of time can have serious consequences."_

...Liu's first meeting with Kitana, the monk obviously smitten with the Edenian, despite her trying to kill him...

" _You're good, Princess. Show me more."_

" _Do not underestimate me, Shaolin!"_

...and Kitana's defeat, with Liu sparing her life...

" _This encounter never took place. You have disgraced no one. I hope we meet again. Under different circumstances."_

...Liu Kang fighting his way through Scorpion, Quan Chi, Goro, and finally, challenging Shang Tsung...

" _Shang Tsung! Only one fight remains! Face me...in Mortal Kombat!"_

...with Liu coming out as the victor after a hard battle.

" _Say it."_

" _I...concede."_

Now, the heroes were looking at events from Kitana's point of view, events that would lead to the Outworld Tournament...

...Shao Kahn ranting at Shang Tsung...

" _You failed me! Five hundred years I have waited! Now I must wait five hundred more!"_

" _My lord! All is not lost!"_

" _Curse the Elder Gods and their tournament! I should have taken Earthrealm by force! But I am bound by their rules! Rules that cannot be broken!"_

...the tournament itself, with Johnny fighting Jax over some off-handed remarks in regards to Sonya...

" _How's that, Mister A-List?"_

...Kitana and Jade coming to blows...

" _I know where you're going. I am ordered to prevent you from going there."_

" _And why is that?"_

" _I do not question the emperor's commands. Kitana, please. Turn back."_

" _I cannot. This path might lead me to the truth. I'm sorry, Jade...but I will not allow you to stop me."_

...leading to Kitana discovering Mileena inside Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits...

" _Sister! So pretty, so fair, so sad and alone! Come! Let us be a family!"_

" _You are not my family. You are a monstrosity!"_

...Shao Kahn revealing the truth about her past and of her real father as she was apprehended...

" _I am your emperor! Your father was a weaking Edenian king. I annihilated him while merging his realm with Outworld and took his queen as my wife. If only I had not allowed Sindel to convince me of your worth. But now I have a true daughter!"_

" _Raiden was right! You have lied to me my entire life!"_

...to Liu and Kung Lao mocking Johnny when asked what Raiden had that he didn't whilst the thunder god was conversing with Jade...

 _"'Lord?' I was with Smoke. I thought she was a bad guy. I mean, girl. Guess he turned another one. What's Raiden got that I haven't got?"_

" _God-like power?"_

" _A personality that is not at all like sanding paper?"_

" _Jerks."_

...Kung Lao being slain by Shao Kahn inside the Coliseum, as Liu and Kitana watched in horror as Kahn snapped Lao's neck...

" _Witless boy. Do you know who I am?"_

" _The murderer of my friend!"_

 _"I am Shao Kahn! Konqueror of Worlds! You will taste no victory!"_

 _Liu charged. "You will taste your own blood!"_

The tournament ended with Shao Kahn's death. But, he was later revived, and launched the Invasion of Earthrealm. It was following the death of Motaro, that Shao Kahn had pulled out his trump card: a resurrected Sindel, empowered with Shang Tsung's soul and the countless others that he had absorbed.

The heroes watched as Sindel paid her deadly housecall on the Forces of Light, while Raiden and Liu were away, trying to convince the Elder Gods to invervene...

 _"Come forward, if you dare! I shall finish what the Lin Kuei could not!"_

Sindel tore through the Forces of Light like a hot knife through butter, killing eight of them single-handedly, and mortally wounding Kitana.

 _"Mother, please!"_

 _"I am no longer your mother!"_

 _"Mother, this is not your way! Shao Kahn has corrupted you!"_

 _"Corrupted me? Shao Kahn has resurrected me! You have betrayed him, and embraced a pathetic cause!"_

 _"Remember Edenia, Mother! Your rule before Shao Kahn's invasion!"_

 _"Quiet, child! It is time for you to join your friends!"_

It had taken Nightwolf to make the ultimate sacrifice, killing not only Sindel, but also himself, using a forbidden spell to reduce the both of them to nothingness.

" _Victory is mine, shaman!"_

" _Not if I take it...from you!"_

Liu Kang and Raiden had returned just in time from their meeting with the Elder Gods to see Nightwolf and Sindel both fall.

Then, Liu saw Kitana, dying.

 _"Kitana!"_

 _"Liu Kang...you were right. I wish we had met...under...different...circumstances."_

Her death led to both him and Raiden coming to blows...

" _Enough of your madness! If you must die, so be it!"_

...which led to his own demise, as Johnny and Sonya watched in horror as Liu was both electrocuted and scorched...

 _"Liu Kang! Please...forgive me..."_

 _"You...have killed us...all..."_

...and ultimately, Shao Kahn's demise at the hands of Raiden.

" _ **You violate our will, Shao Kahn. You merge realms without victory in Mortal Kombat. Our penalty is clear!** "_

" _An anemic effort from ineffecualt deities. Today, I become THE Elder God!"_

The scene then changed to Kitana's point of view, deep in the Netherrealm, inside Quan Chi's fortress, as she and those who had died, watched as Liu emerged, as a revenant from the murky, reddish fluid located from within.

 _"Liu Kang. The last of Raiden's chosen to fall by his hand. And you live again by my will. Who do you serve?"_

 _"I serve you, Lord Shinnok."_

Now, the scene changes to that of the Netherrealm War, of which both Sonya and Johnny had taken part of.

From the encounter Sonya had with the revenant version of her partner...

" _This is your last mission, Sonya."_

...to Johnny's invervention, saving her life once again...

" _The real Jax wouldn't punch his best friend!"_

" _Johnny Cage. Killing you will be a pleasure."_

...to the climatic battle against Shinnok, Johnny's inborn powers activating, thus saving Sonya's life yet again...

" _I'm not sure what just happened to me...but I am sure of this: You don't even THINK of hurting her!"_

...which led to Shinnok being absorbed inside his amulet, Johnny holding Sonya in his arms as she recovered inside the Jinsei Chamber...

" _The war is not over. Quan Chi has escaped. Why are you smiling?"_

" _She called me 'Johnny.'"_

...to Johnny asking Sonya out as she recovered...

" _So...while you're feelin' this Jinsei high, there's something I wanted to ask. The war's over, but before we go back to our separate lives, would you – I mean, may I treat you to dinner and a movie?"_

" _Heh...long as it's not one of your movies..."_

...followed by Sonya dropping the bomb on Johnny several months later.

" _...and I get it. You don't want a boyfriend. We're two consenting adults who saved the world and we celebrated...like adults. Unless..maybe...you've fallen in love with me..."_

" _Johnny. For once, shut up. I'm pregnant."_

...the birth of their daughter...

" _So...what are we naming her?"_

" _We're not naming her after our mothers, Johnny."_

" _Rose Erica Cage...Erica Rose Cage...you're right. Those suck. What about Cassandra?"_

" _Cassandra?"_

" _Yeah. Rebecca suggested it."_

" _Cassandra Carlton Cage."_

Then came the Netherrealm raid into Quan Chi's fortress, where Johnny and Sonya were greeted by said necromancer and three of his undead slaves, Subzero, Scorpion and Jax.

" _I have no need of your soldiers. But you and Mister Cage will serve me well – once you are dead."_

...which led to Jax nearly killing Johnny...

" _You won't be dead for long."_

...and Sonya beating the holy high fuck out of Quan Chi to save not only her husband, but the two undead ninjas and Jax, returning them to the land of the living...

" _You're weak, Thunder God. Johnny Cage is mine."_

" _No. He's **mine**."_

Things between Sonya and Johnny had been good for a while. And then...

" _It's 3 in the morning. The hell are you..."_

" _Kenshi's in trouble, Johnny. I sent him undercover with the Red Dragon before Cassie was born. Now, he needs an exit strategy, and I'm leading the extraction."_

" _Can't someone else handle it? What about Shaun and Onabu? You'll miss Cassie's birthday."_

" _I know. But I'm the one who put Kenshi in harm's way, Johnny, which makes me responsible for him."_

" _You're also responsible for a little girl, Sonya."_

" _I know that. I don't want to miss her birthday, but one say, she'll understand that when duty calls, sacrifices must be made."_

...Sonya leading the extraction, which led herself into a virtual warzone...

" _This was supposed to be a stealthy extraction, Kenshi! I thought you ditched these guys back in the Himalayas!"_

" _I did! Turns out the Red Dragon paid off every local terrorist from here to India!"_

...which led her to killing a mother armed with a rocket-propelled grenade, aimed at her and Kenshi's evac chopper...

" _Look away, kid."_

Then, things went downhill. The verbal arguments. Johnny's attempts to compromise. Then...

" _Johnny Cage?"_

" _Yeah, that's me."_

" _I'm Major Robert Martin, judge advocate for the U.S. Army. I'm here to serve you divorce papers."_

" _WHAT?!"_

...which ultimately led to their divorce...

" _Congratulations, Colonel. You won the war."_

...and a teenage Cassie's resentment...

" _Cassie, it's complicated."_

" _No. I understand completely. You chose your job over Dad and me."_

" _It's not like that..."_

" _Dad wanted to work things out! He was willing to give up his career to make you happy!"_

" _Cassie..."_

"Fuck off, Colonel. You made your choice."

Now, the memories began to incorporate Cassie's own past, growing up in a household with loving parents until Sonya began to spend more and more time away from home...

" _Dad...when is Mom coming home?"_

" _...I don't know."_

...to her friendship with Jacqueline Briggs...

" _You ready for this, Cage?"_

" _Sure as your name's 'bitch-face.'"_

" _See, now I gotta hurt ya."_

Then, came the event that changed Cassie's life forever. The Blood Code Incident.

She had grown up spoiled, but a skilled fighter in her own right. She adored her father, but still resented her mother, which led to many a verbal argument between the pair. This one event had led her to run away from the Special Forces base alongside Jacqui, hiding out in her father's Venice Beach condo.

Then, whilst participating in an underground fight club, she and Jacqui were kidnapped by the Black Dragon. Then, after a series of events, both her and Jacqui found themselves on Shang Tsung's Island, having been brought there by the Red Dragon at Havik's behest.

As Magik watched the corrupted Cassie and Jacqui fight the former's parents, she understood what Cassie meant about the corruption. She herself had endured it. Her parents also endured it after they had been captured and subdued.

 _The door had caught her with surprising force, knocking her backwards, bloodying her nose._

 _"The fuck?!" Cassie was able to get out before a single booted foot impacted her chin. What was most surprising was that said booted foot belonged to..._

 _"Jacqui?!" Cassie gasped._

 _Her friend stood over her, a sinister grin etched on her features, her eyes blood red. The daughter of Jackson Briggs grabbed Cassie by the shirt and hoisted her to her feet. " **Good news, Cassie...we're saved!** " Jacqui said, her voice as inhuman as her eyes. " **Skarlet can free us...with the Blood Code!** "_

 _"Jacqui, this is insane!" Cassie pleaded. "Don't do this!"_

 _A third woman entered the room. A redheaded woman, wielding an enchanted dagger. Skarlet, the construct made of warrior's blood, created by Shao Kahn. "Hold her steady, Lady Briggs!" she ordered._

 _" **As you command, Lady Skarlet,** " Jacqui intoned, pinning Cassie's arms behind her back. Cassie tried to break free, but was no match for the superhuman strength that ran through her brainwashed friend's body. _

_"We have important guests arriving soon, Cassandra," Skarlet said as she stepped forward. "Your parents."_

 _Cassie was defiant. "Bite me, Skarlet! If you hurt them, I'll..."_

 _"Oh, no," Skarlet said. "I'll do no such thing." She then stabbed Cassie with the Kamidogu. "You and Jacqui shall give them a proper bloody welcome yourselves!"_

Cassie's scream was deafening as the Blood Code took hold.

Johnny and Sonya manage to arrive shortly thereafter alongside Kotal Kahn and his forces, only for Reiko and Havik to unleash Cassie and Jacqui upon the divorced parents, which led to their own enslavement under the Blood Code by Cassie and Jacqui, along with Kotal Kahn and Mileena.

As it turned out, the whole fiasco was orchestrated by Quan Chi to release Shinnok's Amulet from its imprisonment. And Quan Chi succeeded. But Havik had reneged on the deal, and chose to use the amulet to invade the Netherrealm instead.

Hanzo Hasashi had put an end to that plan by severing the mad cleric's head and sending it to the Netherrealm.

For Cassie, the Blood Code fiasco had been a wake-up call for her. Even now, after twenty years, she still had nightmares over what she had done, corrupting her mother to the Blood Code, helping Jacqui to hold Kintaro down as her enslaved mother ripped off his head.

It was only in the aftermath of the incident, that Cassie had told her mother of her plans.

 _"Dad gave me his blessings to join the Army."_

 _"What?"_

 _"I talked to him about it and he said yes. I've been flirting with the idea for quite some time now, and wanted to talk to you about it, but you ran off when Kotal Kahn appeared. I saw that as you caring more about your job than me...so I left the base."_

 _"And here, I thought Johnny would try and push you into acting."_

 _"I can't act. Growing up with an actor for a dad...it never really interested me. Dad's been preparing me for the last year."_

 _"Preparing you how?"_

 _"Last summer. He took me to Seido, where Hotaru trained me into the ground. When we came back, I was in bed for a week."_

" _Cassie...Cassandra...the military life is not easy."_

" _I know. I am your daughter, remember?"_

" _Yet, in some cases, you're just like your father. If you're serious, Cassie, then you have to give it your all. No half-assed antics. Just because I'm your mother doesn't mean you get special treatment."_

Liu and Kitana's own memories coincided with said event, as it had been Quan Chi who was behind the incident in an attempt to steal Shinnok's Amulet. Rather than try and steal it back, the Brotherhood of the Shadow relied on D'Vorah.

More memories of Cassie's enlistment into the Army, her graduation from basic training and her joining S-F alongside Jacqui.

Then, came the formation of Team S-F. Cassie was named team leader, as she was the highest-ranking NCO, but it was her father who had trained her."

" _As the secretary pointed out, us older folks are gonna retire someday, so it's time for your generation to step up. Shaolin, Shirai Ryu, S-F. Together."_

Even as a team leader, Cassie still had her own personal demons to conquer. Namely the self-doubt that had been placed there by Sonya.

" _I've trained all my life. I can fight my way out of nearly anything. but I still feel like a second-rate Cage."_

The shared memories of Sonya and Johnny showed Quan Chi's demise and Shinnok's revival. Not taking any chances, Shinnok had Johnny taken with him by the revenants.

Now, came the attack on the Sky Temple. After leaving the Lin Kuei to fight Kotal Kahn's forces, Cassie and her team launched their raid.

The Avengers and the X-Men watched as Team S-F took the fight to the revenants. Sonya watched as Cassie fought Sindel, remembering that she had killed eight kombatants while imbued with the power of Shang Tsung and his souls, while Kung Jin fought Kitana herself.

 _"Have your parents ever told you what I did to their friends? How I killed them all in a blink of an eye?"_

 _"And your own daughter too? Yeah, they told me. And you're proud of that?"_

 _"We are now bonded in death! Just as you shall be soon, Cassandra Cage. And when you do, I shall give you a proper upbringing!"_

Cassie had left Sindel unconscious. Then, came Kitana.

" _You wish to die first? So be it!"_

" _Bring it on, bitch!"_

The undead Edenian proved to be a major test for Cassie, as her speed and skill outmatched Cassie's own. But Cassie wasn't know for fighting fair when it came to kombat, something that the Avengers and the X-Men knew first-hand. However, Cassie had several tricks up her sleeve, and she takes the fight to the fallen princess. Sonya watched in mild amusement as Cassie broke into the splits and punched the undead Kitana in the crotch, causing the female heroes to wince from the brutal impact of Cassie giving the undead princess a cameltoe punch.

This was followed by Cassie grabbing her pistols, flipping them so that she was gripping them by the barrels (and noticing that she was out of ammo), and slammed them into Kitana's head, knocking her out cold.

Once inside, D'Vorah was quickly put down. Then, Cassie was left to fight Shinnok's corrupted form.

The Avengers and the X-Men were on the edge of their seats as they watched the youngest Cage fight the monstrosity that was Shinnok. A battle in itself was truly epic, as neither the empowered Cassie or the corrupted Shinnok gaining the advantage. Even Liu and Kitana were watching this battle with great interest, as they wanted to see just how Shinnok had fallen. They knew that Cassie could fight, and this was before she had acquired her mutant powers.

But it was only after wading through Shinnok's fire blasts did Cassie finally gain the upper hand. In a final, desperate assault, Cassie Cage had Shinnok flat on his back.

" _You got Caged."_

But Shinnok wasn't down for the count. He staggered back to his feet. Only after a final barrage of blows which ended in a somersault kick, was Shinnok laid out for good.

Once Raiden was freed and the Jinsei cleansed, Cassie rushed to check on her father.

" _I don't feel so hot. And to think...I was worried when you started dating..."_

" _Afraid I'd come home to someone like you?"_

 _"Funny and beautiful. Saves the world. Yeah...my work here is done. Now get me out of this damn thing."_

By that time, Sonya had arrived. After barking out orders to secure D'Vorah, Shinnok and the amulet, followed by calling for a medic, she rushed over to her then ex-husband and daughter.

" _You look terrible. We'll fix you up."_

" _Shoulda seen Cass. Wiped the floor with Shinnok."_

" _I believe it. And you...you did a great job with your team, Johnny."_

" _Hear that, Cass? She called me 'Johnny.'"_

 _"I thought she'd might."_

The memory from both Liu and Kitana's past showed the both of them, seated on their thrones, as Raiden – now corrupted following his purifying the Jinsei – delivered his warning...and Shinnok's head.

" _Shinnok was an Elder God. Impossible to kill. There are fates worse than death."_

Then, came Sonya's corruption at Raiden's hands...

 _"Corrupted? Hardly. I see things more clearly now than I ever had in a millennium. Liu Kang and Kitana, hopefully, got the message that Earthrealm shall go on the offensive if they decide to attack. Unless they want to be reduced to a head like Shinnok, they will not do anything that will invoke my wrath."_

 _"You can't get away with this!"_

 _"I already have. There is a reason why I saved you, Johnny Cage and Cassandra Cage for last. Because you three are the biggest threat. Once you have been converted, your ex-husband and daughter will soon follow. Only when you truly understand why I have done this...will Earthrealm be in danger no longer."_

… followed by Raiden ordering Cassie to bring down a supposed soul-stealer, leading to the murder of Shujinko...

 _"You're not Shang Tsung. Who the hell are you?!"_

" _S...Shujinko..."_

...which led to Cassie, Johnny and an unwilling Sonya fleeing Earthrealm to avoid Raiden's wrath...

" _We'll come back to free the others. I promise."_

...and Jade absconding with the revenant Emperor and Empress, Liu Kang and Kitana...

 _"Traitor! Release us! Now!"_

 _"I can't do that, Kitana. Not yet. I told you that I swore my life to your service. Even now, I honor my vow, even if it means protecting you from yourself."_

Just as it had began, the trip through the minds of Cassie, her parents, Liu and Kitana was finished. They were back in San Francisco, all seated together on the outdoor patio.

* * *

Somewhere in Oakland...

Kano couldn't believe it. But there was the proof, staring him right back in the face. A photograph of Johnny, Sonya, Cassie and Ravenna, taken during Johnny's retirement party. He had originally went to Los Angeles, where upon arriving at the location of Johnny's Venice Beach home, found an Internet cafe where the condo should have been.

But to go from actor to billionaire industrialist in less than three years...something was very rotten.

The Hand had proven to be useful as allies. Elektra had put up a fight, but she had fallen in the end, Kano making sure that she would stay dead.

But what Kano had found out shocked even him.

While it has been three years in Earthrealm since they fled, the Cage family has been here for nineteen years. Which meant that whatever he knew about his longtime enemies was now thrown out the window.

But Raiden had made it clear to Kano before he left for this Earth. Either he returned with Cassie Cage and Johnny and Sonya dead, or he doesn't return at all. On top of that, Johnny and Sonya had remarried, and Ravenna Cage was the result of that union.

Jarek looked at the picture of the Cage family. "This complicates things," he noted.

Kano nodded. "I'd expect Cage to go back into acting. Not this."

"So what happens now?" Tasia asked.

"We carry out our orders," Kano replied. "We kill Johnny and Sonya, and bring back their brats to Raiden. Do what you want with Papa Cage, but leave Mama Blade to me."

"Any word on you son?" Jarek asked.

Kano shook his head. In the three years since Shinnok's fall, Kano had been training his son in the ways of the Black Dragon. As Raiden himself watched in on one of the training sessions, the training was brutal, designed to strip any and all of the trainee's humanity.

And much to Kano's joy, his son had turned out to be a natural when it came to kombat, and a prodigy when it came to knives. But young Darren tuly shined when it came to brutality and sadism. Something that Vera Briggs had found out the hard way.

It had been three months after Outworld's absorption into Earthrealm. Vera had been asking one too many questions, which led to Raiden ordering her termination at his hands. The official report was that Vera had been killed by a horde of Tarkarta who had raided the Briggs farm.

The truth was much, much worse.

Kano and his son - Darren - had been tasked with Vera's termination. As Jax was the one who had destroyed part of Kano's face, resulting in his implant, Kano saw this as a chance for payback. After all, Jax and Jacqui couldn't do anything, as they were under Raiden's control.

Vera Briggs was tortured by both father and son, who also took turns raping the woman for hours. Only when Kano slit her throat, was death considered a blessing. Kano even took pleasure in describing the deed to Jax and Jacqui, knowing full well that they couldn't stop him.

It had been one of Kano's sweetest victories over Jax and Jacqui.

"Nothing at the moment. But he should be reporting back in," Kano replied.

While Kano and his forces were hiding out, Darren was tasked with recon. The last time he called in, he had been tailing Cassie Cage, but was forced to call off the mission with the appearance of the Avengers and the X-Men. Naturally, Darren thought that the female Cage was being scouted by a law enforcement entity.

He placed the photo of the Cage family down on the table, where it sat alongside several photos of Cage Incorporated. "We leave in sixty minutes. Once we arrive, standard procedure is in effect. Leave no witnesses. Send a message."

Kano left the room. Tasia and Jarek rushed off to prepare. Once the room was cleared, the astral image of Julia Carpenter – Madame Web – emerged from the shadows.

Sonya had been smart enough to have Julia perform this assignment, she realized. For all his cybernetic upgrades, Kano overlooked the fact that Julia's talents included astral projection. But to be on the safe side, she remained in the shadows. Now, her mission completed, she had to report in to Sonya.

* * *

Back at The Cove...

It had been several minutes since the trip into the memories of the exiled Kombatants.

Oh, there was more, much more, but the exiled Kombatants wanted to just show them the most important parts of their past, and the circumstances that led them here.

Johnny and the others looked at the group of heroes, allowing them to take in what they have seen.

Finally, Logan broke the silence. "You were an actor?" he asked Johnny.

Johnny nodded. "Yup. Been retired for nineteen years."

"Wow," Emma Frost said.

"Yeah, no kidding," Cyclops said. "If I hadn't seen what I just saw...I'd say that it was all lies."

"Memories don't lie, Scott," Xavier interjected.

"You knew," Cyclops accused. "You knew of Cassie's past, where her family came from."

Xavier nodded. "I did. Cassie told me."

Captain America looked at the Cage family. Johnny looked pensive, while Sonya looked grim, as did Kitana and Liu. Cassie had a slightly haunted look on her face, but she hid it under a neutral mask. Ravenna had a look of moral support for her sister and parents, as did Simon, who gently grabbed Cassie's hand and gave it a squeeze.

While Simon saw bits and pieces earlier, this put his girlfriend in a new light. She was a combat veteran haunted by her past actions, from murdering an innocent man on Raiden's orders to having to leave her team behind in order to escape Raiden.

What he and the others had witnessed had definitely placed the family in a new light. Johnny, Sonya and Cassie were genuine heroes who saved their home on numerous occasions. They didn't ask for money or fame. It was simply the right thing to do. But they were especially impressed with Cassie and her fight with Shinnok, saving her father's life.

It also explained as to how they were able to keep on par with the rest of the superhero community, as some of the colorful characters from their past were even stronger than them.

It also explained as to why Johnny made the decision to flee in order to avoid Raiden's corruption alongside Cassie and Sonya - albeit unwillingly for the latter.

Ms. Marvel turned to Luke and Iron Fist. "You two seem to be taking this well." Then she turned back to Simon. "You as well."

"We already knew," Luke replied. "Johnny told us after Liu fought Danny. Swore us to secrecy. This was before the Act passed."

"I just found out today before you guys arrived," Simon admitted.

"So the 'business-savvy billionaire' was a ruse," Stark said.

"Not quite. I did graduate with a business management degree," Johnny replied. "By the time I did graduate, I was already making more money filming than I would have in the corporate world. I could have went back to acting, but I wanted a change."

Kitana decided to change the subject. Looking at Stark, she asked, "You are aware of Elektra's murder?"

Tony nodded, as did Captain America.

"The man who killed her was Kano," Sonya explained. "Mercenary, arms dealer, murderer, all-around creep. He killed my first partner, who was also my fiance."

"And he kidnapped both myself and my best friend," Cassie added.

"So the mystery man has a name," Cap said. "You sure it was him?"

"I recognize his handiwork," Sonya said as she showed Cap the photo of Elektra that Kitana had showed them.

"And he has serious backup," Liu added. "The Hand has joined his Black Dragon clan. Raiden has ordered our deaths - Johnny, Sonya, Kitana and myself. Cassie is to be brought back to Earthrealm."

"In effect, Raiden has all but declared war on this planet," Kitana said. "Which will be the end result should you all refuse his demands."

To back up her claim, Kitana used a spell, showing the gathered heroes of the attack on the Red Lotus Compound, which was led by Shang Tsung himself. The exiled Kombatants and the heroes watched as Shang layed out Raiden's motives and plans. Then came the attack, which led to Jade's death.

Meanwhile, Johnny had retrieved the bodybag, which was placed behind the patio. Placing it in front of Cap and the others, he waited until Kitana banished the spell before unzipping it, showing them the Tarkarta's body.

Luke made a face. "Sweet Christmas, is he ugly."

Emma held her nose. "Ugh..."

Maria broke her silence for the first time. "Tony?"

Iron Man scanned the body. "It's not a fake. It's the real deal."

Maria wrenched her nose. "It stinks."

Kitana managed a wry grin. "Tarkartas are not well-known for their personal hygeine," she admitted. "They're mostly known for being vicious and cruel when fighting."

Iron Man then projected an image of Team S-F's photo, along with their respective parents. "I was going to ask about this, but I already know the answer. Your former team, Cassie?"

Cassie nodded. "It's one of the main reasons why I work alone. I can lead a team, but I was forced to leave them behind when Raiden corrupted them."

"Guilt."

Cassie turned to the person she least expect to speak in her defense.

"It's guilt," Maria explained. "You felt as if you failed them in not protecting them as their leader. I know the feeling. I've led a team. Lost some good agents."

"That explains as to why you refused to join when I asked," Cap said.

Cassie nodded. "Also the reason why I didn't join the X-Men."

Storm rose from her seat. "While these revelations indeed put things in a new light, there is the matter of the Phoenix Force."

"Right," Sonya said. "Yao split it in two, and as powerful as Cassie is, she would be unable to fully control its power."

"Once every three months, we run a battery of tests on Cassie and Raven," Johnny explained. "Make sure that the Phoenix is still in check. You guys came just in time for us to conduct the tests. You can sit in and watch. In the meantime, we need to discuss what is to be done about Kano and the Black Dragon."

"What about Raiden?" Liu asked.

"Raiden's not here. Kano is the bigger threat at the moment, Liu," Cassie replied. "We need to stop him before more people die."

"She does have a point," Kitana admitted. "Kano is a dog that needs to be put down."

"I already have the Tactical Unit on alert, and three teams on standby," Sonya said. "They should be at the main headquarters within the hour."

"We'll give you guys a lift," Maria said. "I've seen your Tactical Response Unit in action, Colonel, but if this Kano is as dangerous as you say he is, then you're going to need our help, and access to the compound."

Sonya was about to object, but Johnny cut her off. "Done. We run the tests in the Science Building. I'll allow access to that and the Administration Office. Do you know the exact number of the Hand's forces?"

Iron Man made an estimate guess. "Two. Three hundred tops."

"Kano would probably bring along his lieutenants and one, maybe two squads of the Black Dragon along with him," Cassie said. "When Jacqui and I got captured, he had about the same number with him, along with Jarek and Tasia."

"Despite being outnumbered with my unit, we still got the Phoenix," Sonya said, looking pensive. "But, as much as I hate to say this, the numbers provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. will even the odds, even outnumber his forces." Turning to Captain America, she said, "Commander, I know you're against killing, but these guys are nothing you've experienced. They will kill you and anyone that cross their path. If you – any of you – run into Kano or his lieutenants when they come...cripple them if possible. If not..." She let that hang.

"There's no way around this, Cap," Logan said, silencing the Avengers Commander. "Kano killed Elektra. And you know as well as I do that Elektra's as dangerous as they come."

"Better yet, leave Kano to me," Sonya said.

"And me," Cassie added. "I got a score to settle with that one-eyed fucker as well."

"So how do we deal with Kano?" Cap asked.

"We ambush him."

Everyone turned to Kitana.

She glanced at Sonya. "Back when Liu and I were revenants, Sonya's forces ambushed us on the Krossroads as we made our way to Quan Chi's fortress. We lure Kano and his men into the compound, block off any attempts to escape, and hit them hard."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Sonya said.

"Colonel Blade." Julia's voice was like a zephyr in Sonya's mind.

"Julia?"

The woman in question materialized into view. Rather than her astral form, Julia had opted to give her report to Sonya in the flesh. "The one and only, Colonel." She looked at the gathering of heroes (and in Liu and Kitana's case, assassins). "I have a location on the Black Dragon," she reported.

"Where?"

"One of the deserted warehouses about 50 minutes from here. In Oakland," Julia replied. "There's more. Kano has a son."

Now the exiled kombatants were surprised.

"That one-eyed freak has a son?" Sonya asked.

Julia nodded. "And it appears that he's been spying on this little gathering of heroes."

"Where is he?" Sonya demanded, rising to her feet.

Magik's head snapped to her right. She quickly brought forth Soulsword, transforming it into its broadsword form. "I got him," she said, as she formed a stepping disk and jumped in.

Minutes later, she returned, emerging from the same stepping disk, only this time she was accompanied by a bound, shirtless man, struggling against his enchanted bonds, his face sporting an ugly bruise on his jaw.

"You okay?" Ravenna asked.

"Never better," Magik replied. She brought forth two massive Bowie knives and tossed them to the ground. "He was armed with these."

"Those are Kano's knives, all right," Sonya said. She looked at the man. He looked like a younger version of Kano, only without the faceplate and the cybernetic implants. The boy looked to be about Cassie's age...back when she was actually twenty-five.

"He also had this on him," Magik added, handing over a smartphone.

Johnny walked over to Sonya, standing alongside her. "So you're Kano's little bastard, aren't you?" He turned to Sonya. "Looks like his old man."

Sonya ignored her husband. The boy was glaring at the blonde Cage matriarch, not looking the least bit worried that he was surrounded by a myriad of heroes.

"Dad talked about you," he said. "The one who got away. He's been anticipating this little reunion for quite some time after Raiden gave the order." He looked at Cassie, his look turning lecherous. "You look just like your mom. Wanna bet if I make you scream just like Dad did to her?"

That earned a hard punch to the jaw from Johnny. "Manners, or else you're gonna get a punch down under, like your dad," he threatened.

Cassie, in the meantime, was searching through Darren's memories. What she found horrified her. Not only did she verified Elektra's death, as Darren himself was a witness, but she also saw the horrific Black Dragon training that Kano made him do.

The final straw was the numerous sexual assaults and rapes of many women, Earthrealmer and Outworlder alike, the rape and murder of Vera Briggs, of which Darren himself took part that pushed her over the edge.

First, Cassie broke the mind-link. Then she unholstered one of her Desert Eagles. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed as she slammed the handle of her Magnum into Darren's face repeatedly.

It took her parents, Simon, Liu, Captain America and Iron Fist to restrain Cassie from beating Darren to death. But she did some serious damage to his face. One eye was swollen shut, and some of his teeth were knocked out.

"Cassie! Stand down!" Cap ordered.

"That bastard raped Aunt Vera!" Cassie screamed.

That made everyone stop. Cassie glared at the grinning Darren as Cassie continued on.

"What?" Sonya demanded. "What did you say?"

"I saw...his thoughts," Cassie continued. "Raiden ordered Kano to kill Aunt Vera because he saw her as a threat. She was asking too many questions about Jax and Jacqui. Kano and Darren tortured and raped Aunt Vera repeatedly before Kano killed her. Then the fucker gloated to Uncle Jax and Jacqui about the murder, knowing that they couldn't do anything!"

Kitana was livid. Had it not been for the fact that they needed Darren alive, she would had gutted him herself. Then again, most of the superheroines looked as if they wanted to rip the Black Dragon heir apart for that crime alone.

Emma's eyes narrowed. Then they widened. "She's telling the truth," she confirmed. "Both he and his father took turns in raping Vera."

"Heh-heh-heh..."

Everyone turned back to Darren.

"Oh, Vera was a fighter," Darren confessed. "She was asking too many questions. Raiden ordered her to be silenced. Oh, she was so sweet...and pink..." Now he was cackling as he relished the memory. "Dad and I took turns fucking Jax's bitch. She cried and wailed for Jax and Jacqui...but in the end, she moaned like the whore that she was."

 **CRACK.**

This time, it was Kitana who had knocked the man out cold. She turned to Sonya. "He dies. No exceptions. The same for Kano. If you or Cassie don't kill them both...then I'll do it."

"No. Kano's mine," Sonya said. "He won't be leaving this city alive."

 **BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

Sonya looked down at the smartphone that was ringing. The number was blocked, but she could guess who was on the other line. Her thumb moved towards the **CALL ACCEPT** button, but the phone was then whisked out of her hand by Cassie.

* * *

At the hideout in Oakland...

Kano's phone was on the table, the speakerphone on, the man in question attempting to contact his son. Jarek, Tasia and Tremor surrounded him, anticipating the call from Darren.

Kano didn't look it, but he was worried. After all, with what he had learned about this new Earth after Shang had absorbed Elektra's soul, this Earth was home to people that could wipe out the Black Dragon without a single thought. People that Raiden deemed as dangerous.

But he knew that Darren was more than capable of handling himself in a fight. He did train him, after all. And he was in some cases, even more sadistic than him.

 **CLICK.**

Darren's phone connected. Instead of Darren reporting in, a female voice was heard instead, her voice with malice.

The voice was one that Kano, Jarek and Tasia recognized almost instantly as that of Cassandra Cage.

"He looks just like you. And since Junior didn't want to play nice with me...maybe Daddy will."

Kano was trembling with barely containable rage.

"Oh, Darren and I had such a wonderful time, Uncle Kano!" Cassie's voice gushed with fake enthusiasm. Then she got serious. "But he's no gentleman...especially after what he and you did to Aunt Vera."

Tasia and Jarek exchanged worried looks. Kano stopped shaking. 'She knows?!'

"Mom and Dad don't know about your precious little heir...yet. But he is enjoying my company at my father's business. Well, as best as he can with a broken jaw. So here's how this will play out." To add insult to injury, Cassie mockingly used Kano's Australian accent. "Surrender, you son lives, and all's well. Piss me off...then Darren's gonna meet Uncle Johnny and Aunt Sonya."

 **CLICK.**

Kano closed his eye as he took several deep breaths as he digested the information. Cassie Cage had gotten the drop on his son and he was now her hostage.

"Kano...?" Tasia began.

"We move out in thirty minutes," Kano seethed. "Everyone. We're going to Cage Incorporated and burn it to the ground." His red eye glowed with a harsh light as he turned towards his lieutenants. "Bring Cassie Cage to me alive! When I get through with her, she's gonna regret the day she fucked with the Black Dragon! What I'm gonna do to her will pale in comparison to what Vera had gone through!"

He stormed off to prepare, unknown to him that he was being lead into a trap, with his son being used as bait. Had he not been so angry, he would had recognized that he had done the same when he had kidnapped Cassie and Jacqui.

Unknown to Kano, he had just made the first steps that would ultimately lead to not only his downfall, but the demise of the Black Dragon.

* * *

Back at the Cove...

"You sure that was wise, Cassie?" Cap asked as Cassie immolated the phone in a burst of cosmic fire. "Riling him up like that?"

"Kano has tormented my family for thirty years, Blue," Cassie replied. "You saw our memories. No matter what we do, he always escapes. Not this time. Now, we have something he wants. His son."

Said son was now restrained by Iron Man. Of course, given what Cassie had just revealed, the superheroines wanted to rip Darren apart, with Kitana wanting to lead the charge, given her track record against pedophiles and rapists.

"Of course, we're not going to hand Kano back his son," Sonya said. "Kano likes to wheel and deal, but I've been burned by him one too many times. Now it's his turn. And we'll be ready."

Before Iron Man could point out that this course of action would lead to war with Earthream, Liu had beaten Cassie to it. "We're already at war, Stark. Raiden has declared war on this planet. And if Shang Tsung tells Raiden of the super-powered heroes and villains here – and he will, as by consuming Elektra's soul gave him her knowledge of who's who – he will destroy this realm believing it to be a threat."

There was no flaw in Liu's logic. Beneath the mask, Tony Stark sighed. He knew that they were right.

First, Kano had to be dealt with. And with his son being used as live bait, Kano would come to their doorstep. Only then, would Kano pay for his crimes with his life.


	14. OMAKE: Kano's End

**OMAKE: Kano's End.**

Snafu's Notes: Special thanks to Erik-Genryusai for suggesting this omake in a review. The idea had merit, so I decided to work with that plus incorporate another scene from a scrapped Marvel/MK crossover I had been working on last year. The premise is this: instead of the battle which will take place at Cage Incorporated, Sonya instead proposes an idea inspired by one of Johnny's old horror movies (she only likes the films in which he doesn't fight). Guess which film she likes? Go on, guess.

 **BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

Sonya looked down at the smartphone that was ringing. The number was blocked, but she could guess who was on the other line. Her thumb moved towards the CALL ACCEPT button, but the phone was then whisked out of her hand by Cassie.

As Cassie's thumb hovered over the accept button, her mother stopped her. "Cassie, wait. I have an idea."

Cassie cocked her eyebrow upward. "An idea? Mom...?"

"Just hear me out, please?" Sonya said.

Reluctantly, Cassie nodded.

"We all know how dangerous Kano is - you, your father, Liu and Kitana, as well as myself," posed Sonya as Johnny walked over to her. She pointed to the X-Men and the Avengers. "But they don't. They don't know just how dangerous or unpredictable he truly is."

Grudgingly, Cassie nodded. Her mother did have a point about that. After all, he did order her and Jacqui's kidnapping. "Okay, Mom. I can see that you're scheming, and I didn't have to read your mind for that. What do you have in mind?"

Sonya smirked. Cassie recognized it as that look in which her mother was going to wreck someone's day. Cassie called it the 'get-your-shit-wrecked-smirk.' "Remember that one horror film your father did after we split the first time?"

Cassie knew the one. "Yeah...I thought you hated Dad's movies."

"Just those whenever he does martial arts, Cass."

"Sure," Johnny grumbled as Ravenna joined them. "Take a stab at my ego. I thought you hated horror movies."

"Only when your character dies in them," Sonya admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "A guilty pleasure of mine when we divorced."

"You are incorrigible, you know that? So what's your plan?"

Sonya's smirk widened. "Well..." 

* * *

At the hideout in Oakland...

Kano's phone was on the table, the speakerphone on, the man in question attempting to contact his son. Jarek, Tasia and Tremor surrounded him, anticipating the call from Darren.

Kano didn't look it, but he was worried. After all, with what he had learned about this new Earth after Shang had absorbed Elektra's soul, this Earth was home to people that could wipe out the Black Dragon without a single thought. People that Raiden deemed as dangerous.

But he knew that Darren was more than capable of handling himself in a fight. He did train him, after all. And he was in some cases, even more sadistic than him.

 **CLICK.**

Darren's phone connected. Instead of Darren reporting in, a female voice was heard instead, her voice with malice.

The voice was one that Kano, Jarek and Tasia recognized almost instantly as that of Cassandra Cage.

"He looks just like you. And since Junior didn't want to play nice with me...maybe Daddy will."

Kano was trembling with barely containable rage.

"Oh, Darren and I had such a wonderful time, Uncle Kano!" Cassie's voice gushed with fake enthusiasm. Then she got serious. "But he's no gentleman...especially after what he and you did to Aunt Vera."

Tasia and Jarek exchanged worried looks. Kano stopped shaking. 'She knows?!'

"Mom and Dad don't know about your precious little heir...yet. But he is enjoying my company at my father's business. Well, as best as he can with a broken jaw. So here's how this will play out." To add insult to injury, Cassie mockingly used Kano's Australian accent. "Surrender, you son lives, and all's well. Piss me off...then Darren's gonna meet Uncle Johnny and Aunt Sonya."

Cassie then caught herself. "No. Rephrase. I think that you should experience some of my family's...hospitality. Personally."

"You gotta find us first, you bitch," Kano seethed. "And I know where you are. Raiden said that you need to be brought back alive, but not before I show you the same courtesy as my boy and I showed to sweet Aunt Vera."

"I'll save you the trouble of finding me, then," Cassie replied. "I'm already here."

Kano's eye widened.

Then he screamed as he felt an unbearable sharp pain in her head and chest, causing him to fall to his knees. Tasia, Jarek and Tremor followed suit, as did the gathered ninja and Black Dragon. To Kano, it felt as if Sindel's Sonic Scream was amped up a hundredfold.

While Kano and his lieutenants were made of tougher stuff, the same can't be said for the Hand ninja and the Black Dragons accompanying them. While Kano and his lieutenants were paralyzed by the pain, it was a different story for their forces. Their eardrums had burst, causing them to bleed from their ears, blood also seeping out from their eyes before they flopped to the ground, dead.

Then, despite his pain, Kano saw the pair. A man and a woman, both thought to be long since dead, rotting in the Netherrealm as revenants alongside the others who were killed during Shao Kahn's failed invasion, the woman clad in leather and steel while the man was in traditional Chinese attire, his headband keeping the bangs out of his face, walking amongs the dead and dying Hand ninja and Black Dragons, immune to the intense pain that has all but destroyed his forces, leaving only him and his lieutenants.

Had Kano not been in pain, he would had realized what Shang Tsung had told him was true. Liu Kang and Princess Kitana were both alive.

Kano tried to move, but that caused the pain to increase.

"You should had stayed in Earthrealm kissing Raiden's ass, Kano," Kitana said, glaring at the mercenary, enjoying seeing him in pain. "I despise rapists, yet it's by Sonya's request that stayed my hand."

"The Cage family requests your presence," Liu added.

Had Jarek and Tasia been more coherent, they would have realized that Tasia had said the same thing when they kidnapped Cassie and Jacqui years earlier.

Kitana motioned to the other three lieutenants. "And these three?"

"Cassie wants Jarek alive," Liu said. "The rest are expendable. Kill them."

Then, Liu's foot slammed into Kano's chin, the last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Kitana killing Tasia and Tremor.

* * *

With Kano incapacitated and the Hand and Black Dragon effectively destroyed, Sonya had put her plan into action.

After an hour and half of preparations on her family's end - with Johnny providing the footage of the film in question from his film collection, Cassie doing the voice work, her voice being disguised, and Ravenna performing the editing and installing the video footage, and Sonya procuring military-grade demolitions from Fort Charles - it was time to put her plan into action. 

* * *

The first thing that Kano realized was that his head was throbbing as he regained consciousness. The second thing was that his cybernetic eye was disabled, meaning that his laser beams were useless. Third, he saw that his ankle had a leg cuff on it, the other end being chained to a length of pipe.

The Black Dragon chieftain recognized his surroundings once the pain in his skull had changed into a throbbing ache. He was still inside the warehouse, save that he was chained to one of several pipes that lined the bathroom; a disused, grimy, industrial bathroom that has seen better days.

He looked at the ankle and chain. Grabbing the links in his hands, Kano tried to break free. No good, as the links didn't budge. Looking around the bathroom, he saw that he wasn't alone. His son was chained on the opposite end of the small bathroom, but Kano saw that his length of chain was shorter than his. In the middle of the room, shackled to a gurney, was Jarek, naked from the waist up, and unconscious. Kano also took notice of the surgical sutres that lined Jarek's torso, along with one of his knives resting near Jarek's body.

What caught Kano's attention was that there was an X-Ray at his feet. He picked it up and looked at it. The X-Ray was that of Jarek's chest. Kano made out the image of a key, complete with a doodle of an arrow which pointed to the key and the words 'KEY TO SHACKLES - FIND ME' scrawled in white ink.

Last, there was a TV and a video camera. The camera's light was on, showing that all three were being recorded.

"Dad? You all right?" Darren shouted.

"Head's killin' me," Kano replied.

"Russian bitch got the jump on me when I was doing recon on Cage's place," Darren groaned. "Cassie broke my jaw. Then she healed it."

"They knew you were there, you fucking idiot!" Kano roared. "Cassie knew you were there!"

"I want first crack at her, Dad."

"No...that honor is mine. And I'll make sure that Sonya and Johnny watch as I fuck their precious princess. You get first crack at Ravenna."

* * *

Back at the Cove...

The living room of the Cove was transformed into an impromptu control station. Ravenna had connected her laptop to the flat-screen, showing her family, the X-Men and the Avengers a live feed of the bathroom inside the warehouse.

And they all heard of Kano's intentions of raping Cassie, which made them even more angry.

"Now," Sonya ordered.

Ravenna nodded and punched in several keys on her laptop. 

* * *

" **Hello, Kano.** "

The voice echoed throughout the bathroom, deep and menacing. Not like Quan Chi, but it still sent chills down the spines of both men.

The voice came from the TV, which had somehow, turned itself on, its image something that neither man was expecting. A ventriloquist's dummy, and a particularly hideous one at that. The face was white, with a protruding brow, its cheeks painted with spirals the color of crimson. The red lips formed a malicious grin, the eyes also red with black irises, the top of the head adorned with dark, messy hair.

The dummy's head turned, as if it were facing them. " **I want to play a game.** "

"The fuck is that?" Darren asked.

"I don't know," his father replied.

" **You have seen your fellow man as nothing more than merchandise,** " the dummy continued. " **This, you have done for many years. Not only that, you have also taken many lives and destroyed countless others, both for your own amusement and for profit. These things you did with no remorse nor guilt, leaving nothing but scarred and traumatized men, women and children in your wake. Now, you will be put to the test. We shall see if you truly believe that all life is worthless save your very own.** "

Darren continued to try and break free of his bonds, but to no avail The chains held fast.

" **You, your son, and Jarek are the last of the Black Dragon. While Tasia and Tremor outlived their usefulness, I had found a use for your friend. As you already noticed, there is a key inside Jarek's torso. The key that shall ultimately lead to your salvation. However, the key itself is extremely brittle, and can only be used once.** "

Darren paled.

" **Now, you must make a decision, Kano; will you make the ultimate sacrifice to save your son? Or will you sacrifice your son to save your own life?** "

The video changed from the puppet to the interior of the warehouse, where Kano and Darren not only saw the bodies of the Hand ninja and the Black Dragon, but also the numerous blocks of plastic explosives, wired and ready to detonate.

Kano and Darren's eyes widened. The building was now a death trap.

" **Please note that you cannot tarry, as this building has been rigged with more than enough Semtex to turn the building into a smoking crater, and for you, time is short.** "

The image returned to that of the dummy. " **How much blood will you shed, Kano? How much is needed to ensure one's survival? Live or die. Make your choice.** "

The dummy's face was then replaced with that of a timer. One that showed four minutes remaining.

"Oh, shit," Darren cursed. He then tried harder to break free from his own chain, attempting to yank it from the wall. The anger was now gone, now replaced by the thought of dying in four minutes.

Kano got to his feet and walked over to the gurney. He looked at the X-Ray, then at Jarek, who was starting to stir. He made his decision within three seconds. He picked up his knife and reversed the grip, just as Jarek was rapidly gaining conscious, seeing Kano standing over him, knife in hand, ready to plunge it into his torso.

"Sorry, Jarek," was all that Kano said before plunging the blade deep into Jarek's gut. 

* * *

Back at the Cove, the exiled Kombatants, Ravenna Cage, the X-Men and the Avengers watched in shock and horror as Kano began to butcher Jarek, stabbing him repeatedly inside his torso, opening him up as Jarek's screams were muffled due to his mouth being duct taped. Kano dropped the knife and plunged his hands into Jarek's open wound, looking for the key, pulling out Jarek's organs.

"Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick," Ms. Marvel groaned.

"Such barbarism," T'Challa said.

"By the Goddess..." Storm whispered.

"What makes it worse is that Jarek is Kano's best friend," Sonya said. "Jarek was Kano's first protegee and the heir apparent to succeed him in the Black Dragon."

"Guess it's safe to say that friendship's over," Wolverine noted. Even he wasn't this bad whilst in berserker mode.

There was one main reason as to why Sonya had set this up for the X-Men and the Avengers to see. It was to show that Kano valued no one's life but his own. With Kano sifting through Jarek's insides looking for the key, Jarek himself dying from blood loss and trauma, it was safe to say that the plan was going horribly right.

*&^

It had taken Kano a lot longer than he wanted - the timer now reading less than a minute and a half, but Kano had found it. The key had been placed behind Jarek's breastplate. He would had found it sooner with his cybernetic eye, but that was disabled.

In Kano's hand, stained with the blood of Jarek, was the key. It was about the size of his thumb, and from the look of things, it would probably break after a single use (think the Old Keys Chris has to collect in Resident Evil).

"Dad, what are you doing?" Darren shouted, breaking Kano's line of thought. "Throw me the key!"

Kano looked at his son. Then at the key. Then he looked at the clock. Fifty seconds remaining. 

* * *

Back at the Cove, Kano's next move shocks the heroes present.

Kano uses the key on his shackles, freeing himself, and rendering the key useless. 

* * *

"DAD! WHAT THE FUCK?!" Darren screamed, looking at the timer. Thirty seconds was left.

"Sorry, kiddo," Kano replied with a look of phony sympathy, tossing the now-useless key to the side. "I can't fail Raiden. Either I return victorious, or as a corpse. And if the Netherrealm is still absorbing souls, then I sure as hell don't want to join them."

"You can't do this to me, Dad! Please!"

Kano picked up his knife. "Oh, quit your whining and die with dignity, you little bastard. If you had been on your guard, then we wouldn't be in this mess. It's how the world works. The weak serve the strong."

Fifteen seconds was left. Kano bolted out of the room, his son screaming and cursing his name. Running up the stairs, he saw the bodies of the Black Dragon and the Hand littered all over the floor, having died in great and unspeakable pain. Then he saw the crumpled forms of Tasia and Tremor, stopping only to retrieve his second knife.

Down in the bathroom, Darren was bawling, wailing that he was sorry repeatedly for all of the bad things he had done as a Black Dragon. The wet stain on his crotch showed that he had pissed himself in fright.

Kano was barely two yards out of the warehouse when it erupted into a ball of fire, the force of the blast sending him flying up and over, landing on the hood of the car.

Flaming debris began to rain down on the ground - pieces of the building and body parts. Kano decided that it would be best to make himself scarce. He fled the scene. 

* * *

Back at the Cove...

"..."

The living room was silent, Darren's screams coming to am abrupt end along with the video feed as the bombs detonated. Shock and anger were the two dominant expressions on the faces of the Avengers and the X-Men. Storm had her hands covering her mouth, while her husband's face showed disbelief beneath his mask. Anger was evident on the faces of Wolverine, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Even Professor Xavier and Captain America had looks of disbelief mixed with rage.

Captain Marvel, Emma Frost, Magik, and Maria Hill were one step away from leading the hunt to track down the Black Dragon boss themselves. Doctor Strange was wondering just how he could make Kano suffer. Magik and Hope Summers were thinking along the same lines.

For the exiled kombatants who knew Kano all too well, they were not surprised by his actions. But to condemn his own flesh and blood to die...

"Honestly...I would say that I'm surprised to see Kano do this," Sonya mused.

"Yeah, no kidding," Johnny seconded.

Even though Cassie and Ravenna were adults, there wasn't anything that Johnny and Sonya wouldn't do for their daughters, even give their very lives. Their past exploits had proven that in regards to the Blood Code fiasco.

"He dies," Wolverine growled. "No mercy, no quarter."

Cap nodded grimly. Normally, he was against killing, but what he had seen in regards to Kano and his own crimes was just a glimpse of the monster that was the Black Dragon leader. He turned to Maria, his voice grim. "Commander...form an assault team and track Kano down."

"With pleasure," Maria replied.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Kano. He won't get very far."

Everyone turned to Liu and Kitana.

"How so?" Cap asked.

For a moment, Liu's sinister expression reminded Johnny of back when the former Shaolin was a revenant, sending chills down his spine. "While Sonya and her family were busy preparing for this little test, Kitana and I called in a favor to a...mutual accquaintance of ours. As it turns out, the man in question is a big fan of our work, just as we are of his. We keep our distance, given as how both Kitana and myself as assassins. He owes us a favor, and surprisingly enough, he was in the area."

"Liu and I told him about Kano," Kitana continued. "He's going to ensure that Kano dies before the end of the day."

"Someone we know?" Maria asked.

"Oh, yes," the Edenian replied. "One we know very well."

* * *

Kano swore for the umpteenth time ever since escaping the warehouse. His cybernetic eye was still disabled, the portal stone that Shang Tsung had given him to travel the realms was gone, and the only thing that he had was his knives.

While Darren proved to be a fine Black Dragon, he proved to be a disappointment when the due time came, curing and screaming his name, crying just as the bombs exploded. On top of that, the Black Dragon and the Hand ninja that had accompanied him were all dead, slain. He was, for lack of a better term, naked.

He hid in the far corner of the alley, watching as the police and fire engines sped past, heading towards the scene of the explosion. While he was down, Kano was not out. He still had a mission to complete, and had a knack for survival.

This time, however, Fortune was not on his side.

 **BEEP. BEEP.**

Something was vibrating in his pants pocket. Upon retrieving it, he saw that it was his smartphone. What surprised him was the name on the caller ID: **SONYA BLADE**.

However, the phone itself activated. Kano saw that it was high-tech, as he found himself staring into the face of his longtime nemesis. While Kano's expression was that of anger, Sonya's was smug. Kano also noted that she looked younger, rather than the battle-hardened General of S-F that had nearly strangled him to death for threatening her daughter.

"You're still alive, I see," Sonya drawled. "Then again, I'm not surprised."

"I'm like a bad penny. I always turn up," Kano replied.

"Of that, I'm certain. You were better off in Earthrealm. But you crossed the line when you raped Vera. Both you and your son."

"Nothin' personal, love. Just business...oh, and following orders from the big man himself," Kano replied, grinning, despite his circumstances. "So how's the family, Sonya? I heard that you and Cage got back together."

"None too pleased to see you rear your ugly little head in this realm," Sonya replied. "Normally, I'd demand your surrender, but I'd be wasting my breath. I've been burned by you one too many times to know that you won't rot in a prison cell."

"Smart girl," Kano replied. "So what happens now?"

"Easy. You die."

Kano barked out a laugh. "Oh? So what, you're my executioner?"

"No. Liu and Kitana have that covered. I was hoping that my plan was successful in killing both you and your son. Who'd knew that I'd get my inspiration from one of Johnny's old horror movies? Oh well. But now, this is where Liu and Kitana step in."

"So how are the two ex-zombies? Raiden's gonna be pissed when he finds out that Shang Tsung failed in his task."

"You wouldn't last five minutes with them. They're assassins. And they've prepared a nice little surprise for you...with the help of my youngest. In fact, he's tracking you by means of your phone. You should be meeting him soon, as I'm merely distracting you."

Kano's eye widened. "You bitch...I'll see you dead!"

"After you," Sonya replied. "At least when you die, take comfort that at least I didn't kill you. Goodbye, Kano."

Sonya ended the call. Almost immediately, Kano dropped the phone and crushed it under his boot. What he didn't know was that the phone wasn't the only thing that Sonya was tracking Kano.

Ironically, she was also tracking him via his cybernetic eye, courtesy of a quick hack by Tony Stark.

One thing for sure, Kano realized that not only Sonya was here, but that her family, Liu and Kitana have signed his death warrant. He had to get out of the city, but with his cybernetic implants, he stuck out like a sore thumb, and he can hide out in the alley for so long before someone stumbles onto his location.

As it was already nighttime, it was the perfect time for him to make his escape. He could always deal with Sonya and her family later. Right now, survival was the most important thing.

Fortunately for him, he had done business in Oakland back in its Earthrealm counterpart, meaning that he knew the alleys like the back of his hand, albeit with a few minor differences.

Rounding the corner, he saw the street. And the man blocking his escape, his path to freedom.

Kano saw that the man's posture read military. Strong jaw, dark hair combed back, muscular, looked to be around Johnny's age, if not older. But it was his eyes that made Kano pause. They were the shade of cobalt, hard and emotionless.

The eyes of a killer.

Kano saw that the man was dressed in all black; the leather longcoat was black, which partially concealed what he wore underneath; a black T-shirt, cargo pants, and boots. Over the chest, Kano saw that the man had on body armor.

Painted on the chest, was the image of a white skull.

And Kano knew. This man that stood before him was to be his executioner. He reached behind his back and pulled out his knife.

 **BLAM!**

 **PING.**

The man was quick on the draw, as Kano realized a bit too late. The .50 caliber Action Express slug had blasted the knife out of Kano's hand, where it clattered to the dirty ground several feet away.

 **BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!**

Kano fell to the ground, the Magnum rounds having obliterated his lung and severed his spine. In any other circumstance, Kano would choose fight over flight.

Despite his mortal wound, and despite his cybernetic upgrades, flight was looking very attractive.

With a groan, Kano turned onto his stomach and crawled his way up the alley. Looking behind him, the man in the longcoat began to walk after him.

Kano turned away from the man, his strength waning. He coughed up blood as he continued to crawl away, inching ever so closer to his knife. The pain was unbearable.

The man reached Kano before he could get to his knife. He kicked Kano with brute force, forcing him on his back, before pinning him to the ground with one booted foot to the shoulder. Kano tried to free himself, but that only caused him to bleed out even faster.

"Who...are you?!" Kano gasped out, through bloodstained, clenched teeth.

Frank Castle calmly raised his Desert Eagle, aiming at Kano's forehead. "Punishment," was all the Punisher said before squeezing the trigger. The last thing Kano saw before being sent to oblivion was the muzzle flash, then darkness.

Frank holstered the gun and retrieved his phone. Activating it, he scrolled through the contacts until he found a specific number, and dialed.

"Yes?" Kitana's voice greeted him.

"It's done," the Punisher reported. "Kano is dead. We're even." He ended the call and walked out of the alley, leaving Kano's body behind. 

* * *

Back at the Cove...

Kitana pocketed her smartphone. "It's done. Kano is dead. The Punisher's mission was a success."

"I'm surprised he didn't try to kill both you and Liu," Sonya noted.

Kitana smirked underneath her mask. "Amazing how one shares the same interests as we do. Mr. Castle hates child molesters and pedophiles as much as we do, which is why he tends to leave Liu and myself to our own devices."

"I'll send a retrieval team to retrieve the body," Maria said.

"Make sure you burn his corpse," Sonya said. "Better yet, take Cassie with you. She'll do the honors."

Maria nodded.

"One scumbag down," Johnny noted, "Two more to go."

Sonya nodded. With Kano and most of his lieutenants dead alongside his son, it would be inevitable that Shang Tsung would resurface alongside Raiden. This time, Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the Exiled Kombatants would be ready to bring the fight to their former mentor.


	15. 9: The Calm Before The Storm

**Chapter Nine: The Calm Before The Storm**

Snafu's Notes: This chapter sets up for the first battle, which will take more than two chapters to write.

If you asked anyone the exact moment when Raiden declared war on not only his former champions, ordering their deaths, but on the realm in which they made their home, you would get various answers from the parties involved in the conflict, which lasted less than two weeks.

Matt Murdock would say that "war was declared with the murder of Elektra at the hands of Kano."

Liu Kang and Kitana would say that it was "Raiden ordering the attack on the Red Lotus compound and the death of Jade" is what started the war.

Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade would say that the war started where it ended with "Cassie beating Shinnok's face in," with the corruption of their friends and allies.

But all parties agreed that it was the combined forces of the Black Dragon and the Hand's attack on Cage Incorporated's main headquarters located outside of San Francisco that was the first official battle of what was to be known as The Battle Of The Two Earths, or Earthrealm's Conflict

* * *

The trip to Cage Incorporated's main compound was...interesting, to say the least. It had been Ravenna's first time onboard the Helicarrier, and the second for her sister and parents.

Captain America had filled in the other Avengers who wasn't chosen for the sit-down with the X-Men and the Cage family, with Luke and Danny vouching for them, as they knew about it even longer than the others. Even more surprising was that Maria Hill and Carol Danvers herself had backed what Cap was saying in regards to the Cage family's origins and the inevitable conflict that is to come.

Of course, at Iron Man's request, the girls underwent a scan from Doctor Strange, with Magik assisting him. The two sorcerers confirmed that not only were the two sisters the hosts of the Phoenix Force, but that it had been split in two, with Cassie the vessel for the dark half of the power, and Ravenna being the vessel for the light half of the power.

Of course, neither sister could match Jean Grey when she was the host of the Phoenix Force.

The results of the scan from Doctor Strange and Magik showed that the two halves of the Phoenix were in fact, separated, the warrior bloodline keeping the power in check. While powerful in their own right, they were no Jean Grey.

They had the power of flight, yet were unable to conduct interstellar travel. While they can teleport, it was similar as to how Raiden would teleport, save that theirs was fire-based, rather than lightning. They also had the power for concussive force blasts, but it wasn't strong enough to destroy planets, like Jean's was.

Most importantly, they lacked the ability to revive anyone who had died, as well as controlling one's life force. The Phoenix had decreed that they were 'not worthy' for such a skill. Immortality was also out, as that honor belonged to Jean, as was temporal manipulation and mastery over existence.

Simply put, while not on the same level as Jean over mastery of the Phoenix, Cassie and Ravenna had the power to wipe out Raiden, Shinnok and Onaga in a single go if they were together. Separate, they were still a force to be reckoned with.

Of course, Maria had concerns about having Liu and Kitana on her ship, but surprisingly enough, Cassie and Ravenna vouched for the both of them. After all, they're gonna need all the help they can get in regards to the impending attack on their father's main headquarters, the attack force being led by Kano.

* * *

Cage Incorporated Main Compound, Science Building – outside of San Francisco, California.

Tony Stark had to give credit to Cassie and Ravenna's parents. They knew that they would be looking for the Phoenix Force, which is why Cage Incorporated had built the laboratory inside the Science Research and Development Building with power-dampening equipment and anti-sensory equipment designed so that neither he nor the X-Men could track and/or detect.

While Sonya wanted nothing more than to plan for Kano's arrival, she had to oversee the exams, just to make sure that the Phoenix was still properly maintained within her daughters' bodies. The meeting in question was taking place several floors above them inside the conference room between her husband, Liu, Kitana, Captain America, Cyclops and Maria Hill.

Between herself and Johnny, Sonya was the tactician of the pair. Johnny usually make things up as he went along. Sometimes, he was right, and sometimes, she was right.

Ironically enough, making the long-term plans just in case Raiden found out where they were was his idea. But he was adamant about not having anyone else involved in their war against their former mentor.

That changed with Kano murdering Elektra and Shang Tsung consuming her soul.

Now, Earth was once again at risk.

Sonya and Johnny could have let Stark and the Avengers handle it. But they lacked the experience they had when it came with dealing with Earthrealm intrigue. Sure the super-villains here were dangerous, but no one had ever dealt with a rampaging thunder god, his enslaved champions, a sadistic mercenary or a soul-consuming sorcerer.

Both Johnny and Sonya knew how dangerous Raiden could be. He had been under the Blood Code when he mass-shocked everyone – themselves included – whichh led to them being enslaved under the Blood Code by Cassie and Jacqui. Now, with Raiden irredeemably corrupted and gunning for herself and the exiled kombatants, all bets were off.

Normally the scientists on Cage Inc's payroll conducted the tests. But, as per the request of Captain America, three of the Avengers were overseeing the exams. The three men in question were T'Challa, Hank McCoy – having been called in by Wolverine – and Reed Richards.

Having Hank inside had helped put the girls at ease, as Hank was a mentor and family friend to the Cage family.

The exams were pretty straight-forward and didn't take too long. A physical and mental scan, followed by a quick test on their ability to control their powers. Fortunately, Cassie and Ravenna had done the second part on the way to the main headquarters.

"How does it look?" Stark asked, his faceplate retracted as he, Charlex Xavier and Sonya stood in the examination room, Cassie and Ravenna seated side-by-side on the examination table. Simon Williams was also present, concerned over his girlfriend and sister.

"Vitals and brainwaves are normal," Hank reported. "Pulse is normal, as is blood pressure."

"Do they have the power of pyrokinesis?" Tony asked.

Sonya nodded. To Cassie and Ravenna, she simply said, "Show them."

While Captain America, Maria Hill, and Nova knew of Cassie's cosmic pyrokinesis alongside Cyclops and Emma Frost, Stark have not seen it in action just yet, nor did Xavier.

As expected, it was the pyrokinesis that made things very interesting. Sonya had seen it before, as did Liu and Kitana during the incident with Osborn and H.A.M.M.E.R.

Hands extended, the cosmic flames burning in their palms, Cassie's flames were dark red with a blackish tint, while Ravenna's were white.

"Oh my," Hank gasped.

"That...is interesting," T'Challa said.

"White flames," Reed noted. "If my brother-in-law saw that, he'd be jealous."

"While we hold the Phoenix's power, it's not on the same level as it was with Rachel and Jean," Ravenna explained as she and Cassie banished the flames. "Some powers that Jean had when she had the full power of the Phoenix, we don't have."

Tony nodded. Ravenna went down the line as to what they did and did not have. Turning to Sonya, he asked, "Why did the Phoenix choose them?"

"The Phoenix chose Cassie before Yao split it in two," Sonya replied. "But if you want answers, then talk to the Phoenix itself."

Now Stark was surprised. "You can do that?"

Sonya nodded. "Cassie. Ravenna. Stark wants to speak to the Phoenix."

The Cage sisters nodded and closed their eyes. Then, their heads drooped forward, as if they had fallen asleep. Then, slowly, their heads rose, and their eyes opened. The three Avengers slowly backed away until they were standing alongside Sonya, Tony and Xavier, the power radiating from the now-possessed girls forcing them back.

The whites of Cassie's eyes were now black, the vibrant azure orbs now the shade of pure crimson. Ravenna's eyes were the same, save that the coloring was a golden hue.

" **I am fire. I am life incarnate. I am the Phoenix,** " the Phoenix said, using the girls to speak in a single voice. " **Speak your words.** "

Sonya nudged Tony. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Why did you choose Cassandra and Ravenna Cage as your hosts?"

" **Cassandra Cage was to be the vessel for all of our power,** " the Phoenix explained. " **We were attracted to her due to the darkness and corruption within her soul, stemming from the Blood Code, her fight with Shinnok and her killing Shujinko.** "

"Knew it," Sonya muttered.

"Is what her parents say about Johnny Cage's warrior bloodline keeping the power in check alongside their mutant powers?" Stark asked.

" **Correct. The corruption of Cassandra's soul was not the only thing that drew the Force's attention. It was the inborn powers of the warrior bloodline that keeps us under control.** "

"You don't sound so upset over it," Xavier noted.

The possessed Cassie and Ravenna turned to Xavier. " **Charles Xavier. I remember you from Jean Grey's memories. I understand why Cassandra's parents had done what they had did in separating me. Jean Grey was unable to control my power, and made the ultimate sacrifice. Rachel Grey was the only one able to control my power, alongside a warrior of K'un Lun by the name of Fongji Wu.** "

"But by separating the powers between the two, this meant that they were unable to fully harness your powers," posed Reed.

" **Correct. Perhaps it was better this way. But even with the light and dark halves split between the siblings, I am still a force not to be trifled with.** "

"What is your intentions here on this planet?" T'Challa asked.

" **The same as always since time immemorial. We are the embodiment of death and rebirth. No more, no less. No more questions. For now.** "

"But I have more..." Stark began.

" **No more. I relinquish control back to Cassandra and Ravenna.** " With that, the girls' heads slumped forward again.

"It's going to take a minute for them to get out of it," Sonya said, looking at Stark.

"So many questions left unanswered," the Iron Avenger muttered. "But I'm satisfied for the time being."

* * *

Several floors above them...

Inside the conference room, a war council meeting was underway.

The first thing Johnny Cage had done upon arriving at his namesake business was to put the entire place on lockdown. Everyone who lived on the compounds grounds were behind locked doors until the threat passed. Second, the Tactical Response Unit already had a presence on the grounds in order to stand guard over Cage Incorporated's Weapons Research and Development due to the contracts with the Army. Now, the entire Special Forces unit under Sonya's command had been placed inside the main compound, away from the main gate.

The Helicarrier was overhead, its stealth camouflage activated, the Avengers primed and ready for the battle that was to come. Cyclops had summoned the remaining X-Men from Utopia – save for the children at Xavier's behest – to aid in the battle. They were inside the Science building.

And there was the 'Welcome Wagon.' He had paid a pretty penny for his services. But what he was really after was one of Sonya's recipes, of which was offered as a bonus. He was placed in a location where he can do the most damage.

"I'm actually surprised that you and Sonya managed to hire 'him,'" Kitana noted as she, her husband, Johnny, Captain America, Maria Hill, and Cyclops looked over the map of Cage Incorporated.

"He has proven to be very hard to kill," Liu added. "I ripped out his voicebox."

"And I trisected his head after cutting off his hands," Kitana added.

"Cass did him in as well," Johnny added. "No dice. Better for 'him' to work for us instead of Kano." He pointed to the map. "The main gate is the only way in and out of the entire complex. The secondary gate past the main building leads to the housing complex."

"So we hold him here along the main area," Maria said, "Block off any chance to retreat, and make sure that Kano can't cause havoc in the housing area."

"Rules of engagement?" Cap asked.

"We are at war, Captain," Kitana said. "No mercy, no quarter."

"Look what Kano did to Elektra," Liu said. "Cage is right. Kano is too dangerous to live. He is a dog that needs to be put down."

Cap sighed. "I know."

"Sonya and Cassie have Kano covered," Johnny said. "Our friend will wear him down before Sonya and Cassie finish him off. Have the Avengers focus on the Black Dragon and the Hand."

"And Kano's lieutenants?" Liu asked.

"Ravenna's got Tasia covered. I'll deal with Jarek," Johnny replied. "That leaves Tremor."

"From what we saw of Tremor, I'd let Luke Cage deal with him, Cap," Maria said. "See how Tremor can withstand someone with unbreakable skin and superhuman strength."

"That would be best," Johnny said.

"I'll let him know," Cap said.

"What about us?" Liu asked, pointing to him and Kitana.

"If Shang Tsung shows up, he's all yours," Johnny said. "We won't interfere unless its necessary."

"Fair enough," Kitana said.

Johnny sat back down in his chair and sighed, feeling much older than his seventy-plus years. Cap and Maria left to tell the others of the attack plans. For Liu and Kitana, this was a different side of Johnny Cage.

The doors to the conference room opened and in walked Sonya Blade, having left Cassie and Ravenna in the care of the Avengers until they recovered, which wouldn't be too long. "Preparations complete?" she asked.

Johnny nodded. "We're ready. And the girls?"

"They'll be ready in five minutes, and the portal detection technology has been activated. If Kano comes, we'll know."

"Wait...portal detection technology?" Liu asked. "Since when did Cage Incorporated dealt with portals?"

"Mainly because Cage Incorporated was built on S-F and Lin Kuei tech," Johnny replied. He pointed to Sonya. "She's the silent partner out of myself and Rebecca. The portal detection technology was a pet project of Sonya's before we left. Sonya and the girls had been working on it just for this event. We hoped that we didn't have to use it."

Kitana chuckled softly. "So Sonya is quite literally, the richest officer in the Army."

Johnny leaned back in his seat. "Funny how things come full circle when it comes to us and Earthrealm. It's been forty-four years since we all met on Shang Tsung's Island, back when we were fighting for Raiden and for Earthrealm."

"And now, we're fighting against Earthrealm," Kitana added.

"You can say that Kitana and I have plenty of experience in that area, us being revenants and all," Liu added in a wry tone. "But you are right, Johnny. The four of us, plus your children working together, united against a common threat."

"Except now, the threat is our former boss who's gone mad, not to mention the supposedly-dead sorcerer and a homicidal mercenary gunning for our heads," Johnny noted. "And that's what we do know so far."

"I'm surprised that it took them this long to finally find us," Sonya said. "But despite everything from the Civil War to the Decimation...nineteen years. We've had nineteen years to prepare. We knew this day would come."

"You've been busy," Liu said. "Training both yourselves and your children." Off the surprised expressions of Johnny and Sonya, Liu allowed himself a small grin. "The Red Lotus has spies in the city, remember?"

Johnny and Sonya both nodded, with Sonya saying, "It was his idea," pointing to her husband.

Shortly after Ravenna was born, Johnny had a family meeting with Cassie and Sonya. While things in this version of Earth were somewhat peaceful, it would not last. Which meant that they would have to train themselves and prepare for the inevitable day in which Raiden arrived at their doorstep.

First, was the physical training. Sonya thought she had seen and experienced it all, but her husband and daughter had her beat when it came to basic training. Johnny had spent time in the Realm of Order following Shao Kahn's failed invasion in order to get a better handle on his powers, while Cassie was sent there by her father when she wanted to pursue a military career.

Then, Sonya chose to undergo the training, of which Johnny had created from scratch. Suffice to say, she was bedridden for several days following the six-week training program. But it did make her tougher as a result. As a result, she adapted it as part of her Tactical Response Unit's candidate training. When Ravenna turned seventeen, she too, underwent the Seidan training program.

It was also during this time that Cassie and Sonya had rebuilt their bonds. Bonds that Sonya herself had once shattered under the guise of 'protecting her family' back when she, Johnny and Cassie were Raiden's champions. One such bond which made them stronger was martial arts.

Both women were proficient in Taekwondo, as Sonya had been Cassie's teacher. Kempo had proven to be ineffective for Sonya, as her husband had pointed out some of its flaws during one of their spars. Flaws that Kano had easily taken advantage of.

"Kano fights without honor, so why should you?" Johnny had asked her one day. "Honor is used by weak people to keep the strong in line. Honor has no place in kombat. You do whatever it needs to be done to win. Either you go home at the end of the fight...or you don't."

One style that caught the duo's attention was boxing. Given Sonya and Cassie's Special Forces training and the barbaric Seidan training regimen that followed, Sonya and Cassie trained extensively in the style. Boxing taught them how to improvise, and how to adapt. Their natural flexibility and gymnastic abilities made them unpredictable.

Of course, being Johnny, he made mother and daughter train in boxing with chains wrapped around their forearms. The end result? They were both quicker in their attacks.

Here, is where the similarities end. Sonya liked to get in close and deal the most damage, while Cassie was flexible and unpredictable in her attacks, keeping the opponent on their toes.

Like Emma, Sonya had taken an interest in Krav Maga, following a training seminar by a visiting master who trained the I.D.F. Sonya had paid a pretty penny for him to train her, even going as far as to spent three weeks training with the Israeli commandos.

Sonya mastered the style in less than three years.

Being a mutant, Cassie could have cheated and used her powers to gain the knowledge of a master. But she was taught not to take any shortcuts in life. Fortunately for her, Logan had directed her to a fellow mutant, who was a master of jujitsu. Cassie took to the lessons like a sponge adsorbing moisture.

Sonya liked to get in close and deal the most damage, while Cassie was flexible and unpredictable in her attacks, keeping the opponent on their toes. Gymnastics was also a bond that Sonya and her daughters shared. While Ravenna was more like her, Cassie was into parkour, having learned from an ex-boyfriend back in Earthrealm.

Ravenna learned Karate from her father and Taekwondo from her mother. But she developed a keen interest in swordplay, hence having learned from Elizabeth Braddock and Kitty Pryde. Her sword was an O-katana (think Vergil's Yamato), forged from adamantium. It had been a gift to her on her sixteenth birthday. And she was very, very dangerous with the blade.

"We had to adapt," Johnny admitted. "Either that or we die once Raiden returns for all of us. Even you."

"True," Liu admitted. "So...Seidan basic training, huh?"

Now Johnny was surprised. "How did...?"

Liu sardonically grinned. "You wasn't the only one who underwent that hell. Lao and I both underwent that training at Master Bo' Rai Cho's behest. So what's your story?"

"You know about my warrior bloodline, right? Of how both Cassie and me were able to survive against Shinnok?" When Liu and Kitana nodded, Johnny formed a Green Fireball in one hand. "It was after the both of you and the others...died. My powers were starting to go nuts. Raiden sent me to Seido to train there." He banished the flame. "After the Blood Code, I sent Cassie there to better learn her powers. If I go all out...I can cripple or kill."

"Which explains why you held back whenever we fought," Liu noted.

Johnny nodded. "A single punch from me can dent an iron girder. I should know, cause I tested this theory. Hand was sore for most of the week. Imagine the kind of damage I can do to a human skull."

Liu could understand that. "I'd expect both Sonya and Cassie to return to the military, but why didn't you go back into acting?"

"Why didn't you return to the Shaolin?" retorted Johnny.

"You first, Cage."

"I wanted a change," Johnny replied. "When Kano stole Shinnok's amulet, I had planned on retiring. Thirty years in front of the silver screen was long enough. You?"

"My reasoning is a bit more straightforward," the former monk replied. "Back when we were revenants under Quan Chi's control, Kitana and I raided the Wu Shi Academy." He smiled meanly. "You can guess what happened next."

"I know. Sonya and I both saw your and Kitana's handiwork. We both helped bury the monks there," Johnny said. "Well, that explains why Sonya and I didn't see you when we faced off against Shinnok."

"It was Kitana's idea to become an assassin. As you can see, I'm very good at it." The next question had caught Johnny off-guard. "How do you do it, Cage? Being a father?"

"Kitana's pregnant, isn't she?"

Kitana's eyes widened, as did Liu's. Sonya looked shocked. "How did...?" Liu sputtered.

Johnny grinned. "I asked my dad the same question when I knocked Sonya up back in Earthrealm. Congratulations, by the way." He sighed. "Sonya and I...we weren't the best parents to Cassie. We divorced when she was sixteen. I wanted to be the center of attention."

"Big surprise. And Sonya?" Kitana prodded.

"Motherhood and being a wife wasn't my strong suits. Being a military officer was much more easier than to deal with Johnny and Cassie," Sonya admitted. "So...we divorced. Cassie resented me, even when I had her transferred to S-F. I treated her more like a soldier than her mother."

"After Shinnok, we all got along better," Johnny said. "Then Raiden began to corrupt the champions. In a way, us fleeing Earthrealm was a blessing in disguise."

"The both of you are getting along better," Kitana noted. "And you remarried."

"Johnny is still an annoying buffoon," Liu added wryly.

"You can say that we all grew up a little," Sonya admitted. She looked at Johnny. "Even Johnny. He's an annoying buffoon, but he's my annoying buffoon."

"Love you too, babe," Johnny replied. He then got serious as he turned back to Liu. "Look...when it comes to parenting, nobody's perfect. The only thing I can tell you is what my dad told me: just be there for your child. Don't smother them. Just love and accept them for who they are."

"That...sounds reasonable," Kitana said.

 **BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

Sonya's phone began to beep. Retrieving it from her pocket, she activated it. The phone's screen read only a single message. **ATTACK WARNING RED**.

It had been Cassie who suggested the phrase. **ATTACK WARNING RED** meant that the portal detection technology had picked up on a portal opening near the compound's main gates. Dropping her phone, she raised her right gauntlet and punched in several keys.

Sonya had a reconnaissance drone flying overhead near the main gate. Sure enough, the image from the drone showed not only a massive portal shimmering into existence, but also the bane of her existence.

Kano and the Black Dragon. And following them close behind, was the Hand in its entirety.

"Kano..." Sonya grounded out, the old memories of her nemesis rising.

Johnny, Liu and Kitana rose from their seats. Johnny picked up his own phone and punched in a number.

"Dad?" Ravenna's voice greeted her father.

"Kano's here. Alert the others," Johnny said. He hung up the phone. "Game time."

The four kombatants exited the conference room.

* * *

The security guard posted outside of the main gate leading to Cage Incorporated didn't notice the portal opening several yards away from the main gate. He was too preoccupied with grooving to the song that was playing on the radio as he sat inside the security booth, the door open.

The lyrics didn't make any sense, but damn was the song so catchy.

 _Please don't run about in my house, in my house_

 _Please don't talk about it you and me, you and me_

He was still jamming to the song, unaware of the bearded man with the axe and the armored woman armed with the dual katanas silently approaching the security booth.

He was, however, made aware with their presence when the man reached inside and forcibly yanked him out of his chair.

 _Please don't tell a lie,_

 _Please don't make a lie_

The security guard was held by the man, hands pinned behind his back, the guard staring down the business end of Tasia's katana.

"If you value your life," Tasia whispered in a cold voice, "do not scream."

 _Please, please, don't, don't, never, never do it, DO IT -_ **CRUNCH.**

The radio was destroyed via Jarek's axe.

Casually tossing a knife in one hand, Kano approached the bound security guard. Behind him, stood the two squads of the Black Dragon and the Hand, weapons drawn, ready for a fight. The Black Dragon chieftain strolled up to the petrified security guard, still tossing the massive knife. Stopping within arm's reach, he sheathed his knife.

"G'day," Kano greeted. "I'm a...'friend' of the Cage family. Especially in regards to General...I mean, Colonel Blade. Tell me something, boy...do you want to live?"

The guard nodded, fearful of his life.

"Good, very good," Kano said. "All you gotta do is point where the Cage family is located. Do that and I'll show you mercy."

With a shaky hand, the guard pointed to the first building on the left, with the lights cut on. "T-there...the main building...he's in a meeting..."

Kano turned to the building. After a quick scan, he turned to the guard and nodded. "Thank you. Tasia?"

He was already making his way towards the building when Tasia cut down the security guard, slashing at his throat. The guard would bleed out in a matter of minutes.

Kano looked around the place. The main compound was built on an old airport strip, three buildings on one side, and three more on the other. The compound was much smaller than the Black Dragon base at Fort Charles.

"Cage has made a nice life for himself here," Kano mused as he and his three lieutenants made their way to the first building. "Such a shame that we're here to wreck it." When he tried to open the door, he saw that the door was locked, he noticed that the only way inside was via an ID scanner.

As Kano didn't have a Cage Incorporated ID on him, he simply destroyed the ID scanner with a laser blast.

 **CLICK.**

Kano kicked the doors open. Unsheathing one of his knives, he strode into the building's main lobby, followed by Tasia, Jarek and Tremor. Three squads of The Hand accompanied them inside. The lights in the lobby were dimmed, possibly to save on lighting bills. Other than that, it was deserted.

"Find Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade!" Kano barked out. "Bring them to me alive! I'll deal with them myself before we go after their brats!"

Weapons drawn, the Hand swarmed further into the corridors of the building. Aside from the elevator-style music that was pumping through the speakers, the area was silent. Outside, the Black Dragon and the Hand waited.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Jarek said, gripping his axe tighter. "This feels like a trap."

"I feel it too," Tasia replied.

 **CRASH!**

From their right, a window exploded as two Black Dragon goons came crashing through, landing on the ground in a heap of broken glass. From the way their necks were at an unknown angle, it was safe to say that both men were dead.

And the culprit of their deaths casually stepped through the opening he had made, stepping on one of their bodies.

The security guard that Tasia has killed. His guard's uniform was stained with blood, and his wound, the slash so deep that Tasia had nearly decapitated him, was healing, showing nothing but already-scarred skin.

"Whoa! Whoa! Wait a second!" the 'guard' said, holding up his hands, stopping Kano and the Black Dragon from cutting him down. "Let me slip into something more comfortable first."

When the 'guard' raised his wrist and began to punch in several keys, Kano swore to himself. Sonya had swiped the Black Dragon's hologram camouflage after he had been captured by Sonya years earlier.

He had done the same thing three years earlier, killing an Outworlder refugee and using his hologram camouflage to take on her likeness. It had been both Sonya and Kenshi that had tracked him down.

Now, instead of a bloodied security guard, they instead were looking at a man, standing at Kano's height with a muscular build, clad in red-and-black. He was armed to the teeth with a pair of Uzi sub-machine guns strapped to his sides, several grenades, and a pair of katanas strapped to his back.

"Ahh...much better," the man said.

"What the hell?!" Tasia gasped, her expression matching that of her comrades.

"A healing factor..." Kano muttered.

"I know. Pretty cool, huh?" The man said. "I know what you're gonna ask next. 'Why the red suit?' Well, that's easy. So bad guys like you can't see me bleed." He pointed to Tremor, and everyone looked at the earthen ninja. "He's got the right idea. He's wearing the brown pants."

Kano, Jarek and Tasia looked down. Sure enough, Tremor was wearing brown pants.

"But Metal Man here nailed the hammer on the head," the man continued, pointing at Kano. "I'm completely indestructible. Only downside is that I'm now completely un-fuckable." To prove that, he removed his mask, showing his face. "See?"

After grossing out the Black Dragon thoroughly, the man slipped the mask back on. "Aaand...now you're scarred for life. Just how tough I am, you ask? Liu Kang ripped out my voice box. Nope, didn't work. Kitana trisected my head after chopping of my arms. Didn't stick. Hell, even Cassie Cage obliterated my jaw. Still standing."

"Who the devil are you?" Kano demanded.

The man grinned underneath his mask. "Oh, I'm the Welcome Wagon. Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade paid a pretty penny for my services, y'see. But since you're pretty much in the dark in regards to Yours Truly, prepare to be enlightened. I'm known by many names. The Crimson Comedian. The Merc with the Mouth. My personal favorite is the Regenerating Degenerate." He then performed a theatrical bow. "But you can call me...Deadpool."

"Whatever Johnny and Sonya are paying you...I'll triple it!" Kano said. "A merc with a healing factor can be useful to the Black Dragon!"

"Sorry, no dice," Deadpool replied. "Unless you got a smothered chimichanga recipe with that payoff, no can do. Sonya knows what I like, hence the recipe."

He reached behind his back and pulled out a detonator. In an exaggerated British tone, he said, right before pressing the button and disappearing, "The Cage family sends their regards."

 **BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

Kano's eye widened as the lights came on, showing that there was military-grade demolitions places around the support pillars of the building. His lieutenant's expressions soon matched his as they realized what had just happened.

And there was five seconds remaining on the timer.

"SHIT!" Kano cursed as he and the others back-pedalled out of the building. They were barely out of the building when...

 **KABOOM!**

The force of the blast had sent all four Black Dragons flying, the building behind them shredding the Hand and Black Dragons close to it with flaming shrapnel. They landed in a heap, stunned, but alive. The members of the Hand, however, were not so lucky.

"Sunovabitch..." Kano groaned.

"Well, look what we have here," a familiar voice drawled. "The king of sellouts decide to grace my humble little business with not only his presence, but with the rest of the sellouts."

"You? Humble?" a second voice replied, female – but not Sonya or Cassie – one also Kano recognized. "You're not exactly humble, Cage."

"But I do agree with you on Kano being a sellout," a third voice added, Kano also recognizing the voice. "Just like him to sell his soul to Raiden in order to save his skin."

Kano shook the cobwebs out of his head as he and the others staggered to a vertical base. Standing before him were two men that he recognized instantly.

Johnny Cage, Kitana and Liu Kang.

Kano noted that the Cage patriarch was dressed in the same outfit he wore when he fought against Sonya, save that the sleeveless hoodie jacket was gone. Kitana was clad in a combination of leather and steel, bladed fans at the ready, while Liu was in his normal (his default MKX costume) attire.

There was a fourth person standing with the exiled Kombatants. A muscular-looking man in a gaudy-looking red-white-and-blue costume, complete with a circular shield with the same color scheme.

"Johnny Cage," Kano groaned as Tremor and a masked Black Dragon member helped him to his feet. "Real cute with the explosives."

"Oh, that was Deadpool's idea. From the look of things, I see that the both of you have met," Johnny replied. "Money was no object in hiring him. Although he would have joined up had Sonya promised him her famous chimichanga recipe right off the bat."

"So how is Sonya?" Kano sneered. "Heard you two got back together."

"Oh, she's around," Johnny replied. "Both her and Cassie can't wait to get their hands on you."

Kano looked at Kitana and Liu. "Looks like Shang Tsung was right about the both of you being alive. Raiden's put quite a price on your heads."

"We know," Kitana replied. "Raiden was better off leaving us alone. He wanted a war, and now, he got one. You killed Elektra."

Kano grinned. "She didn't go down easy, but I had fun putting a big smile on her, though. From ear to ear. Shang Tsung absorbed her soul." He looked at Captain America. "Who's he?"

"Don't mind him. Not for the moment," Johnny said. "As you can see, we knew you were coming. So here's the deal. Surrender, and you get a one-way trip to a prison cell in the Negative Zone."

"And if I say no?" Kano retorted.

Johnny looked at Liu, who smiled meanly at the monk. "Just as Raiden told Kitana and myself when we were revenants, 'no mercy will be shown, no quarter given.'"

"If I were you, I'd surrender," Kitana added.

Kano chuckled as he brandished his knives. "You have got to be the stupidest out of all of Raiden's champions, Cage." he gestured to the Black Dragon and the surviving members of The Hand. "I clearly have the numbers advantage. All you have are your two brats, Sonya, the two ex-zombies, and this costumed joker," he said, pointing to Captain America. "So here's my offer, since you fancy yourself a businessman. Hand your brats over and I'll make your deaths quick and painless."

Johnny sighed. "Oh well. Can't say that I didn't give you the chance to give up, Kano. Now comes the part in which you realize you're in over your head."

Johnny, Kitana, and Liu looked up. Kano and the Black Dragon followed their gaze...

...just in time to witness the Helicarrier decloak. From the Helicarrier, the Avengers stood, ready for battle. From the Science Building, the X-Men – Emma Frost, Namor, Magneto, Magik, Hope Summers and Colossus – led by Cyclops, emerged, ready for a fight. More members of the Avengers – She-Hulk, Captain Britain, Storm, Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel – emerged from the other buildings.

Johnny looked at Kano and the others, whose faces went from smug to 'Uh-oh.'

"You may have the quantity," Johnny said, grinning as he cracked his knuckles, the heroes that emerged from the building now standing behind him, Liu, Kitana and Cap, "but I got the quality. In other words, you just walked into a trap." He turned to Captain America. "I believe this is your cue, Cap. You gotta say it."

Without breaking his glare on Kano, Cap shouted two words. These two words would initiate what would become known for all parties involved as the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated.

" **AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!** "


	16. 10: Skirmish At Cage Inc, Part 1

**Chapter Ten: First Blood - Skirmish At Cage Incorporated, Part One**

Snafu's Notes: This story now has a TVTropes page! Awesome! Okay, so Deadpool makes his official appearance in this story. This version of Deadpool was modeled and inspired after Ryan Reynolds' portrayal of the character in the film. Second, the battle between Deadpool and Kano has some references from Deadpool's fight with Deathstroke in Death Battle. Also, this first battle will take three chapters to write. Also, I tossed in several references. See if you can find them.

The Cove, hours earlier...

Liu Kang had honestly expected for someone like Johnny Cage to live in a mansion or some huge estate befitting his position as Chairman of Cage Incorporated. But he was surprised to see that Johnny and his family made his home in a beachhouse that was originally a bed-and-breakfast inn, located in a secluded section of San Francisco.

Given his Shaolin background, Liu actually found it rather...peaceful.

He sat beside Kitana on the love seat in the living room, Kitana gently sipping on a warm cup of Japanese barley tea. As it turned out, Sonya had developed a taste for tea (thanks to her husband), and as it turned out, Kitana enjoyed the taste as well, with jasmine petal being her favorite. The tea did help to calm her down.

Johnny, Sonya, and Ravenna sat on the couch, while Cassie and Simon once again reclaimed the love seat opposite the former revenants. The bodybag containing the Tarkarta's body was outside on the patio deck. Sonya had been adamant in not letting that inside the home she had built for herself and her family.

The surviving grandmasters had their fellow exiles' attention as they explained everything. Shang Tsung's raid on the Red Lotus Compound. Jade's death. And in turn, Johnny, Cassie and Sonya gave the grandmasters a run-down of the day's events, and of the meeting of the heroes that was to take place later on tonight.

For the moment, the meeting of the heroes was on the backburner for the moment. Shang Tsung and Kano were running loose somewhere on the planet. Sonya had dispatched Julia to track down Kano and to monitor his movements, only to report in if there is a development.

For the past nineteen years, the Cage family and the Red Lotus had enjoyed a non-aggression pact. That ended with Shang Tsung's attack on their compound and with Kano butchering Elektra.

"Elektra's pretty tough," Cassie said. "She wouldn't have gone down without a fight."

"Then again, she hasn't fought anyone like Kano," her mother pointed out. "It only took Raiden nearly twenty years for Raiden to figure out we're here."

"If what you tell us is true, Liu, then the old Raiden we once knew is long since gone," Johnny said. "And if he sees this planet as a threat..."

"...then everyone is at risk," Ravenna deduced. "He wouldn't hesitate to destroy Earth if it means keeping Earthrealm safe. Especially with what we know about the heroes and villains here."

Sonya looked pensive. "Or he could be weakening the Black Dragon by sending them here. I know Kano and he's not alone. More than likely, he has Jarek, Tasia and Tremor accompanying him. If he was able to sway the Hand to his cause, then we're in trouble."

"What do you mean by weakening the Black Dragon, Sonya?" Kitana inquired.

"Now we come to the part where I have some information to share," the former general replied. "It was after Raiden corrupted me that he received an important visitor: Daegon."

Cassie turned to Simon. "Daegon is the leader of the Red Dragon, of whom we also have a history with. The Black Dragon had formed from various Red Dragon members who thought that the Red Dragon's methods were too soft."

Simon nodded. "Gotcha."

"I, along with Jax, Kenshi, Subzero and Hanzo, witnessed the meeting between Raiden and Daegon." Sonya turned to Cassie and Ravenna. "Girls...show them."

Cassie and Ravenna nodded. They both stared at their mother, and concentrated, all the while Sonya opened her mind to the memory in question.

[Flashback]

 _The Sky Temple - Earthrealm._

 _Sonya's defiance soon gave way to abject horror. "By the Elder Gods...Johnny was right...you've been corrupted when your cleansed the Jinsei..."_

 _"Corrupted? Hardly. I see things more clearly now than I ever had in a millennium," Raiden insisted. "Liu Kang and Kitana, hopefully, got the message that Earthrealm shall go on the offensive if they decide to attack." His lips twisted in a cruel smile. "Unless they want to be reduced to a head like Shinnok, they will not do anything that will invoke my wrath."_

 _"You can't get away with this!"_

 _"I already have," Raiden said as he removed Shinnok's Amulet from his robes. "There is a reason why I saved you, Johnny Cage and Cassandra Cage for last. Because you three are the biggest threat. Once you have been converted, your ex-husband and daughter will soon follow. Only when you truly understand why I have done this...will Earthrealm be in danger no longer."_

 _Without another word, Raiden blasted Sonya with the amulet, rendering her unconscious. Hanzo and Subzero released her, and gently placed her on the floor._

 _Minutes later, Sonya regained consciousness. Without a word, she rose from the stone floor. "What is your will, Lord Raiden?" she asked._

 _Raiden smiled. But before he could give Sonya her orders, Jax and Kenshi entered the room. "Lord Raiden...Daegon of the Red Dragon," Jax announced._

 _Behind them, in walked the twin brother of Taven and the Edenian-born founder of the Red Dragon. "Good work," Raiden said. He motioned to where Sonya – who was brushing the dirt off of her uniform – now stood alongside Hanzo and Kuai Liang. Without a word, Jax and Kenshi stood alongside the corrupted champions._

 _Daegon looked at the corrupted champions. "I am...concerned with them being here," he said._

 _"Do not concern yourself with them," Raiden said. "They are my champions. My generals. Once, they were divided, now they are united for a greater cause. My cause. They would not dare betray me."_

 _Daegon left it at that. "I was...surprised when I received the invitation to come here, Raiden. A meeting at the Sky Temple with safe passage guaranteed? How do you know that I don't have my men waiting in the shadows to strike?"_

 _"Because you are not that foolish," Raiden replied. "Your crimes are plenty, but I have a proposal for you. One that would prove to be...beneficial for you and your clan."_

 _"I'm listening."_

 _"A general amnesty for yourself and the Red Dragon Clan. In exchange, you will serve me."_

 _"Hmm...an enticing offer," Daegon mused. "But it's missing something."_

 _Raiden smirked. "Of course. If you serve me, then I will give you your greatest desire: the Black Dragon."_

 _Now Daegon was interested._

 _"The fool Kano thought that all was forgiven when I pardoned him for his crimes," Raiden continued. "He jumped at the chance not for me to destroy his clan like a rabbit does to a carrot. I gave my word. I will not exterminate his clan, nor will I kill him."_

 _Daegon immediately picked up on the hidden meaning. "But...you did not say anything about letting the Red Dragon destroy the infidels. Interesting. However, there is still the matter of Cassandra Cage and Jacqueline Briggs. I ask for justice for what they had done to Mavado."_

 _"Do not concern yourself with those two," Raiden replied. "Jacqueline Briggs is under my control. Cassandra Cage will soon follow along with her father. I expect her to report in once she's finished with killing Shujinko. She may have beaten Shinnok with the aid of her father's bloodline, but she is easy to manipulate, playing with her pride. She will serve me as my next champion once her father dies."_

 _"And how will you eliminate Johnny Cage?"_

 _"Kotal Kahn has invoked Mortal Kombat. I am hoping that either he or his underlings are up to the task. While Johnny Cage has served me well, he is an idiot that thinks only of himself. Cassandra Cage will prove to be the perfect champion once she is under my control."_

 _Daegon nodded. "Fine. The girls will not be harmed."_

 _"So do we have an accord?"_

 _Daegon nodded. "That we do."_

 _"I still have a use for the Black Dragon. I shall weaken them to the point that you will be able to destroy them without any problem." Raiden turned to Sonya. "I consider myself performing you a service, Sonya Blade. Daegon will be able to do what you nor Jackson Briggs could not. They will destroy the Black Dragon."_

 _"..." Sonya remained silent._

 _"Fair enough. But Kano is mine. I want to end his life myself. I want him to know that it was me who killed him as his clan is wiped out by my hand."_

 _"Done."_

[End Flashback]

The exiled kombatants found themselves back in the Cove's living room, the memory now finished. If Johnny Cage was made before, he was irate. Had he stayed in Earthrealm, not only would he had been brainwashed, then he would have died due to Raiden's machinations.

Yup, the thunder god was past the point of no return.

Sonya had seen her husband mad before. He was mad when the Black Dragon kidnapped Cassie and Jacqui. He was mad when she demanded their first divorce. But to be back-stabbed by a god who once told Liu Kang that "He's a hero...though he might not yet know it," made him unconsciously enshroud his body with his emerald shadow energy.

From the look of things, Liu thought that he would try and kill Raiden himself.

Johnny took several deep breaths and calmed down, the green energies vanishing. "He's lost it," Johnny said. "There's no hope for Raiden."

"Had the circumstances been less severe," Sonya said, "I'd be laughing my head off. Kano prides himself on staying three steps ahead of his enemies. Imagine the shock if he finds out that Raiden has been playing him like a fiddle. Normally, I'd let Raiden and the Red Dragon kill off Kano. But Kano and I have a score to settle."

"Only problem is that he has The Hand backing him," Kitana noted.

"I'm hoping that we can use this gathering of heroes to our advantage," Johnny said. "We tell them the truth about our past, show them what we had went through, and seeing as how you just brought us the body of a Tarkarta, that should be more than enough evidence to at least get the Avengers and the X-Men off our case for the moment, in order to focus on the bigger threat."

"First things first," Sonya said. "We need to deal with Kano."

Ravenna then had a stroke of inspiration. "Mom, remember when you said that Kano wore you down by sending wave after wave of Black Dragons?" When Sonya nodded, a wary eye on her younger daughter, Ravenna smirked. "We give Kano a taste of his own medicine. Only difference is that we need just one man to wear him down before you and Cassie finish him off."

Simon raised his hand. "I'll be glad to volunteer."

"No. Not you, Simon," Ravenna replied. "Kano is unpredictable, so it's only fair to hire someone even more unpredictable."

Cassie immediately caught on. "No. No way. Not Deadpool. Forget it."

Ravenna shrugged her shoulders. "Better for us to keep a leash on him rather than to have him go to Kano."

"She does have a point, Cassandra," Liu noted, ignoring the stink eye that Cassie was giving him. "And I - along with Kitana - can attest to the fact that while he is even more annoying than your father, he is very hard to kill."

"Only problem is that he's a lot like Erron Black," Cassie pointed out. "He's only in it for the money. All Kano has to do is promise him double or triple, and we'll have an even bigger problem than Kano."

"Not if you know his weakness," Sonya said, a smirk spreading along her face as she turned to Cassie. "Johnny can come up with his fee. I'll make sure that Wilson's loyalties are to us. Cassie...call him up."

Cassie sighed. "I seriously hope that this doesn't blow up in our face," she muttered as she left the room.

(*&

Twenty minutes later...

It was no secret that Wade Wilson had earned the ire of Cassandra Cage several years back. Back when she had just made First Lieutenant, the Cage family had been supporting Sonya in a cooking contest in Sacramento, Sonya having her famous smothered chicken chimichanga as an entry for the contest.

The recipe had been in the Blade family for many generations. Sonya's mother had improved on the recipe before passing it on to her. Sonya then did the same to Cassie and Ravenna.

Deadpool was also present. Unfortunately, he earned Cassie's wrath by slapping her on the ass. Cassie obliterated his jaw as a result. About a week later, she received a postcard from Wade, saying that he had spent time with his 'beloved Mistress Death,' and that there were no hard feelings.

Which is why Cassie allowed her mother and father to play negotiator in order to retain Wade's services. And if the baton wasn't enough to put Wade down, then her military-issue KA-BAR would have to do. Simon, Liu and Kitana remained inside the house, but were on alert should Deadpool tried anything funny.

The meeting took place out on the outdoor deck, the bodybag containing the Tarkarta corpse hidden from view. The Cage family stood on one side, while the mercenary stood six feet away from the family.

"You wanted this sit-down," Deadpool said. "And here I am. So what is it you want from little ol' me?"

"My husband and I have a proposal for you," Sonya said. "There is a war coming and we want you to fight for us."

"Well, you've come to the right man," Deadpool replied. "Of course, I'm your best friend so long as the money is level."

"How does $15 million sound to you?" Johnny asked.

"For that type of cash, I'd kill off half the heroes on the continent. But something's missing..." Deadpool mused.

"This is where I come in," Sonya said, as she pulled out a sheet of paper from her back pocket, and waved it in Deadpool's line of sight. "You get this as a bonus. I believe you know what this is, as you've sampled my dish back in Sacramento."

That got Wade's attention. His eyes went as big as saucers. His mouth began to water from underneath his mask. "Is...is that...can it be...?"

"Yup. My famous smothered chicken chimichanga recipe," Sonya confirmed.

"GIMME!" Deadpool shouted, lunging at Sonya, arms extended. The moment would be considered comical, as Cassie had lifted Deadpool off the ground, running in place, thus keeping him from bowling her over in his attempt to get her recipe. "Come on! Gimme-gimme-gimme-gimme..."

"Do we have a deal?" Sonya asked as she pocketed the recipe. "Your services in exchange for the payoff and the recipe."

Still hovering in the air, Wade snapped to attention and saluted. Sonya was tempted to point out that he had saluted in the British fashion rather than the American salute. Then again, Wade wasn't American, but Canadian. "Wade Winston Wilson, reporting for duty, ma'am!" he said in an exaggerated British accent.

"Cass, set him down," Sonya ordered.

Cassie complied.

"Your primary target is a man named Kano," Sonya explained, with Cassie projecting an image of the Black Dragon boss using her powers. "Leader of the Black Dragon. Proficient in knives and his faceplate contains an eye laser. You are not to kill him. Wear him down. Cassie and I will deal with him personally. After that, you will continue to aid us until the threat passes. Understood?"

Deadpool nodded. "So I can't kill him, just wear him down."

"Just make sure that the man is still alive once we get to him," Cassie said.

"No problem."

* * *

Cage Incorporated, Now...

Johnny Cage cracked his knuckles as he savored the look of dread that was on Kano's face as the heroes began to emerge from the buildings, looking for a fight. "You may have the quantity but I got the quality." He turned to Captain America. "I believe this is your cue, Cap. You gotta say it."

Without breaking his glare on Kano, Cap shouted two words. These two words would initiate what would become known for all parties involved as the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated.

" **AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!** "

Onboard the Helicarrier...

" **AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!** "

"You heard the man!" Red Hulk bellowed. "Move! Move! MOVE!"

The Avengers - Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Mockingbird, Ben Grimm, Iron Man, Daredevil, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Wolverine, the Winter Soldier, Black Widow - leapt out of the Helicarrier, accompanied by two hundred heavily-armed soldiers from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tactical division, led by Maria Hill herself.

"Fight smart!" Red Hulk shouted. "Lethal force is in effect! Fight in the fights that you can win! Put your opponents down before then can do the same to you!"

"Lethal force is authorized!" Maria shouted into her headset. "I repeat: lethal force is authorized! Shoot to kill!"

* * *

On the ground...

Kano's distraction by the Helicarrier and the assortment of heroes that were jumping out of the massive craft allowed Johnny to land the first blow; a solid punch, landing flush on his jaw, knocking him back. Then he went after Jarek, knocking the axe out of his hands, and kicking him back, focusing his attention on him.

Kano felt that blow rattle some of his teeth loose.

This was followed by Kitana dropkicking Tasia, causing her to stumble. Liu's signature Bicycle Kick forced Tremor back several steps.

"Tasia! Find those brats!" Kano shouted. "Find them now!"

Torn between wanting to test her mettle against the legendary assassin and following orders, Tasia chose the latter. She and a squad of Hand ninja broke off and took off towards the Science building, while a five-man team raided the main building.

"X-Men, on me!" Cyclops shouted, letting loose an optic blast which knocked back several katana-wielding members of the Hand, thus keeping them from overwhelming Liu and Kitana.

Three of the Black Dragons zeroed in on Emma Frost. Assuming that her hardened, unbreakable, diamond-covered skin was similar to Subzero's ice-coated body, they were in for a nasty shock as they squared off against the former Hellfire Club leader. Using her telekinesis, she slammed two of them together before flinging them to their comrades, knocking them down.

In the past, Emma had some training in hand-to-hand kombat, preferring to use her mutant powers for the heavy lifting. But that changed upon discovering how Johnny and Sonya had not only honed their daughters' mutant abilities, but their kombat skills were on par, if not superior to that of their abilities.

Simply put, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade trained Cassne and Ravenna not to rely on their powers most of the time. Of course, this led to Emma taking up martial arts to better herself. She found a liking to Krav Maga, and rather than to pay for the classes, she became an instant master following absorbing her instructor's expertise. Sure it was cheating, but then again, Cassandra Carlton Cage fought dirty.

Honor had no place in the battlefield. The enemy isn't bound by honor, so why should you? It was a lesson that Cassie's parents and Cassie herself learned the hard way. You either win and go home, or you die.

Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel and Storm took to the skies, Storm raining down lightning on the Hand ninja and unleashing gale force winds to knock their projectile weapons away from her and the other two superheroines, who were raining down energy blasts upon the Black Dragon and Hand ninjas.

Kano turned his attention on the White Queen as she was distracted with his men. Assuming that her powers were similar to Subzero's Kori powers, he let loose a powerful eye blast. Instead of melting, Emma looked unscathed.

"Nice try. Diamond-covered skin," Emma sneered. Without turning to Scott, she said, "Show him how it's done, baby."

Scott took aim at Kano, and fired, Kano barely managed to avoid the optic blast which took down three of Kano's Black Dragons. Kano looked at the carnage left behind, then back at Cyclops, who grinned.

That distraction cost him, as he was blind-sighted by Captain America. The first mistake Kano had made was that he had written off the Star-Spangled Avenger as a joke due to the costume. But Kano recovered and took the fight to the legendary hero.

Seeing Kano in action and fighting him were two different things altogether.

Kano had fought his way up the Black Dragon hierarchy, proficient in the styles of Akido and the Xing Yi style of Kung Fu, styles he had learned from the previous grandmasters of the Black Dragon. But just as Kano was an unknown to Captain America, the same can be said for Kano in regards to Captain America.

The Black Dragon chieftain found out the hard way that Cap was a fighter, as he took the fight to him. And after what Kano had done to Elektra, Cap wasn't taking any chances.

Kano launched himself into his signature Cannonball attack, of which the First Avenger responded by raising his shield, blocking the move, but the impact caused him to stumble. Kano landed on his feet, only for Cap to charge at him, shield-first.

Kano stumbled backwards from the impact, Cap's attack followed with his head ringing from the impact of Cap's fist, striking him in the same spot that Johnny had struck minutes earlier, followed by a hard smack with his shield, striking him on his faceplate. The uppercut knocked Kano on his back.

But Kano wasn't down for the count. "You got some moves on ya, mate," he said as he got back to his feet, "but it won't save ya from me."

Much to Kano's surprise, Cap grinned. "Who said anything about me being your opponent? I'm distracting you."

"Cannonball!"

Distracted by Captain America, Kano was left wide open by Deadpool's attack. To add insult to injury, the crimson-clad mercenary had nailed Kano with his signature move, knocking the Black Dragon chieftain on his back once again.

"That was awesome! Now I see why you like doing that to people!" Deadpool cheered as he landed on his feet.

Growling, Kano hopped back to his feet.

"Ah...and here, I thought imitation was the highest form of flattery," Deadpool said. "Oh well. At least be a better challenge than Deathstroke."

Now Kano was puzzled. "Who?"

That earned him a sucker punch by Deadpool, bloodying his mouth. That was followed by a kick to the shins, causing Kano to stagger, which was followed by...

"Shoryuken!"

...Deadpool's fist landing square on Kano's jaw, propelling both himself and Kano into the air. Then he grabbed Kano and both men teleported out of the battle zone.

With Kano out of the way, Cap returned to the battle in earnest.

^%$

With Liu Kang and Kitana...

Liu Kang and Kitana were like a well-oiled machine. Any Black Dragon or Hand that came at them ended up dead, be it from Kitana's fans or Liu's fists.

Liu blasted three Hand ninjas with a fireball. While his signature chi attack had lost some of its power as he was now alive, they were still formidable and judging from the burns that the attacking ninjas suffered, very deadly.

"This is just like Madripoor all over again," Liu noted.

Blood splattered onto Kitana's gauntlet as she ripped out the voicebox of another Hand ninja. "You and I remember Madripoor quite differently," she replied tersely.

A hard punch to the back of a Black Dragon's head disconnected his brain from the rest of his body, courtesy of Liu. "The job wasn't that bad," he defended. "We fulfilled the contract."

Kitana was about to reply when she felt a chill run down her spine. She had felt it before, but it was over forty years ago, back when she was a Princess of Outworld and Shao Kahn's chief assassin.

Then the flash of purple caught her attention from behind.

Kitana spun around...

...just as a booted foot slammed into her jaw. Once, twice, three times, the attacker gracefully flipping backwards, before landing in a crouch, while Kitana landed on her back.

"Kitana!" Liu shouted, firing off another fireball, and sending a group of Hand ninja flying. He rushed to his wife's side, helping her to her feet, all the while looking at her assailant.

Honestly, he shouldn't have been surprised to see her, but he wasn't.

Kitana glared at her attacker. Then her eyes widened as she recognized the woman in question. "You?!"

The woman in question could had passed for Kitana's twin sister, had it not been for the short hair that ended at her shoulders, the golden-red eyes of the Tarkarta, and the jagged teeth on either side of her human mouth. She was clad in the same uniform that she once wore when she died the first time, as she had seen her gruesome demise at the hands of D'Vorah from Cassie's memories. In her hands were a pair of sais.

But they were not her own. Kitana recognized them as Elektra's.

A memory played back into Kitana's mind. It was then, she recognized the familiar sense of dread earlier. It was when she had first seen Shang Tsung's handiwork in his Flesh Pits.

Back then, she had the full teeth of the Tarkarta.

 _"Sister! So pretty, so fair, so sad and alone. Come. Let us be a family!"_

No doubt that Shang had created her once again from his Flesh Pits. Kitana had hoped that her mind was playing tricks on her. But she knew that what she saw was indeed true.

Standing before her, was Mileena.

"Sweet sister..." Mileena hissed, "How nice to see you again." She turned to Liu, who helped Kitana to her feet. "And sister's boyfriend!"

"Mileena...insane as always," Liu muttered.

Kitana wiped the line of blood from her lip. "Mileena. You should be dead."

"Shang Tsung granted me life once again," Mileena replied. "Although I wished that I was the one who killed the Usurper that sat on my throne...you will do quite nicely." She brought the sais close and licked its blade. "Recognize the sais? They were a gift from my creator."

"A blood gift," Kitana sneered.

"Perhaps we shall share more," Mileena sneered back. She beckoned to her 'sister.' "Come...let us play, my sister."

"Kombat isn't play," Kitana replied as she brought forth her fans.

"Not if you lose..."

"She's mine," Kitana told Liu. "Go and help the others."

Liu nodded and left his wife to deal with her insane clone.

* * *

With Johnny...

(Cue Control from Mortal Kombat Movie Soundtrack)

The fight between the Cage family patriarch and the Black Dragon's second-in-command had taken them inside the compound's main building.

Like his wife and daughters, Johnny Cage had also adapted. He had started off knowing Jun Fan and Traditional Karate, but decided to start over from scratch. Like Cassie and Sonya, he knew Boxing, as he trained in the style for a past role as a boxer in one of his old films, and kept up the training.

As Liu was superior to him when it came to Jun Fan, Johnny chose to drop the style. While in Japan, he became interested in Kyokushin Karate. As he competed in martial arts tournaments in which full contact was the rule, he adapted to the style very well. The man he learned from came recommended from Logan, the man himself being a mutant, who had also taught Logan in the past.

The second style he had learned was Enshin Kaikan, or knockdown karate. Modeled around the Sabaki method, in which the objective is to reverse the opponent's momentum, while at the same time, placing oneself in their blind spot to counterattack from a more acceptable position.

As it turned out, Johnny Cage was a natural.

Unfortunately for Jarek, it meant that what the Black Dragon knew about the former actor was now obsolete as he was forced to defend against the older man's attacks. The axe was gone, as Johnny had disarmed him of it.

Jarek may have been trained by Kano himself, but Johnny had trained and fought for nineteen years, which meant he had a serious edge over Jarek. Compared to some of this Earth's more colorful characters, Earthrealm was like a picnic.

But that didn't make Jarek any less dangerous.

Johnny broke into the splits in order to avoid Jarek's Cannonball. "I'm starting to hate that move," he muttered as he rose to his feet. He swatted Jarek's kick, and blocked the second one aimed at his head. Jarek parried his punches, of which were designed to lure Johnny in.

Johnny was most surprised when a coil of rope wrapped around his waist. Then he was flung into a table, which had disintegrated on impact.

"Where's your stuntman now, Cage?" Jarek taunted as the rope retracted. He quickly recovered his axe.

However, Johnny had been hit – and slammed – harder than that. He hopped back to his feet. He decided on what Sonya called a 'Double Dare,' which meant two consecutive Green Fireballs. Jarek dodged both of them, but that set him up for the Flip Kick that followed. Johnny's booted foot caught Jarek right on the kisser, and knocked him on his ass.

And the blow hurt.

"I do my own stunts," Johnny replied.

"I'm gonna write your death scene, Cage," Jarek said. "There's gonna be no comeback for you."

"As I've told Sonya and the girls..." Johnny said, as he reversed Jarek's momentum, moving into his blind spot.

Jarek spun around.

Johnny went low, his fist introducing itself into Jarek's torso. Even with his armor, the blow had hurt like crap. Then Johnny followed through with an elbow to the same spot, followed by a rising elbow to the chin, knocking Jarek on his back.

"...'you can't fake a comeback,'" Johnny finished. "Time for your curtain call, Jarek."

Jarek chuckled darkly. "No...this story's gonna have a sad ending!" he said as he pulled out a knife from behind his back. One that Johnny had immediately recognized all too well.

The Outworld Kamidogu. He remembered it all too well, as it was the same enchanted dagger that Jacqui had used on him to enslave him to the Blood Code.

"Oh, shit," Johnny cursed.

"You said it," Jarek said, right before plunging the blade deep into his gut.

Johnny knew just how dangerous Blood Magik could be. After all, he and several others – his then ex-wife, daughter and niece included – had succumbed to the Blood Code in Quan Chi's scheme to free Shinnok's Amulet. Even now, Sonya and Cassie still have nightmares over what they had done.

As Jarek screamed in pain, hunched over, Johnny looked around. Then he saw the fire extinguisher, neatly placed inside its stand. With seconds to spare, Johnny rushed over to the stand, slammed his elbow into the glass, shattering it, and picked up the five-pound metal object, just as Jarek stood back up, his eyes now completely blood red.

"I got somethin' for ya," Johnny said, as he swung the heavy object, the metal connecting to the side of Jarek's face, the force. For Johnny, the item felt like a baseball bat in his hands as he swung again, Jarek merely absorbing the blow to the face, despite Johnny splitting him open.

Jarek had expected him to strike his face again. But he was most surprised when Johnny went low, slamming the heavy object with bone-crushing force right into his testicles. Blood Code or not, Jarek felt his nuts explode from the monstrous impact. Then Johnny followed through with an underhand swing that knocked Jarek on his back.

Johnny was upon him in an instant. He raised the extinguisher and slammed it down onto Jarek's face. Then he did it a second time. And a third time. For the next five seconds, Johnny bashed the extinguisher into Jarek's face a total of twenty-five times, his shadow powers giving him a speed boost.

By the twenty-fifth time, Jarek's face was all but obliterated. But Johnny knew that he wasn't dead. Not yet, at least.

(Control ends here)

"That's...an interesting technique," Liu's voice said from in front of him. The former Shaolin had arrived just in time to see Johnny finish Jarek off. "Your warrior bloodline is quite...interesting, to say the least."

"Nothing wrong with a little improv now and then," Johnny replied.

"You are certain that Jarek is dead?" Liu asked.

"No." Johnny replied. He pointed to the Kamidogu on the floor. "He had that with him."

Liu followed Johnny's finger and recognized the cursed dagger, stained with Jarek's blood. He swore in Chinese upon recognizing the weapon and realized what Jarek had done.

Johnny, in the meantime, had activated his earpiece and had connected with Sonya, Kitana, Maria Hill, Ravenna, Cassie, Cap and Iron Man, telling them of the newest development. "We got a problem. Jarek had one of the Kamidogu with him. He just went Blood Code on me."

Cassie swore. "Fuck! Not again!"

"Assume that Kano and his lieutenants have the Kamidogu on them," Johnny said.

"Whatever you do, don't get stabbed," Sonya seconded. "Disarm and get the Kamidogu as far away from Kano and the others as possible. We don't need any one of them or us going into the Blood Code."

"Understood," Cap said.

"Got it," Iron Man said.

"Acknowledged," Maria said.

Jarek's groaning got the former champions' attention. His face was starting to reform. Cutting the feed, Johnny tossed the extinguisher to the side.

"Always wanted to see the Blood Code in action," Liu mused. "Then again, looking back, Quan Chi was a complete idiot in trusting someone like Havik in retrieving Shinnok's amulet."

"He did play all of us for a fool, Reiko included," Johnny noted.

"So what exactly are we dealing with here?" Liu asked.

"As you can see, regeneration," Johnny said. "Superhuman strength, and some serious damage resistance. Kotal and Mileena killed Reiko twice and he came back."

"Any suggestions?"

"We burn the magik outta him. It'll weaken him. We kill him a couple of times, it'll burn out faster, as he's only using one dagger. If he risks going for the dagger again, then the Blood Code can take his soul."

Liu nodded. "Figure you'd probably need my help this time around, Cage."

Johnny didn't bother with the snarky reply. "I'd appreciate it." He turned back to Jarek, his face now reformed and twisted into one of fury. "So...this is what you expected when you decided to go back to being a hero?"

Liu gave Johnny one of his small grins. "Being a revenant was far more simple." He went into his stance, hands covered in flames. "Champions fighting together...ready to shake the Heavens, Cage?"

Johnny grinned, his own hands glowing with green energy. "Let's dance."

* * *

With Kitana and Mileena...

(Cue Hammerballs from The Raid 2 Soundtrack)

Kitana had heard the conversation between Johnny and the others from her earpiece, but she was preoccupied with fighting her insane clone. While Mileena was a child compared to her, that didn't make her any less dangerous. On top of that, aside from fighting with Elektra's sais, Shang Tsung has transferred all of Elektra's knowledge and skills to her.

As if that would give her an advantage. Mileena found out the hard way as Kitana nailed her with blow after blow, the momentum of the fight in her favor, seeing as how Mileena couldn't use none of the heroes or S.H.I.E.L.D. as battle fodder.

There was a reason why Shao Kahn saw Kitana as dangerous, despite having trained her to become his heir and chief assassin. Those concerns were justified, seeing as how Kitana was slain by her mother. Her years in the Netherrealm had done nothing but hone her killer instinct. The nineteen years here, fighting and killing had made her quite possibly the most dangerous woman in on the planet.

But to resurrect Mileena - despite being slain by D'Vorah - showed that either Shang was becoming desperate...or he was scared, despite becoming more powerful after asorbing all of Ermac's souls.

And the Blood Code...

Quan Chi had retained the services of Nitara, a vampiress, who had supplied him with the blood magik needed to free Shinnok's amulet. But Liu was right. Quan Chi should have known better than to trust the Cleric of Chaos. Not even he suspected that Havik would backstab him and the Netherrealm as a result.

But to see the effects of the Blood Code from the memories of Cassie and her parents terrified even her. If the Blood Code could do that type of damage, what would happen if someone like Wolverine or the Red Hulk was hopped up on Blood Magik?

As Kitana knocked Mileena back, she deduced that Mileena wasn't armed with a Kamidogu, as she herself had been corrupted by the Blood Code. That meant that only Kano and his lieutenants would be carrying the cursed daggers. Either they would use it on themselves in order to get the power boost, or they would use it on their enemies.

Kitana suspected that Kano would either use it on Sonya, for beating the ever-loving snot out of him back in Earthrealm – even Kitana enjoyed watching that – or use it on Cassie, for kidnapping and torturing his son.

Kitana snorted. Darren broke down after Cassie had broken his jaw. That wasn't even considered torture.

Disarming Mileena of her sais was easy enough. Then she attacked her clone after securing her own fans.

"I expected more out of you, Mileena," Kitana said as she sledgehammered Mileena back with her gauntlet-covered fists. "You disappoint me."

Mileena was swearing in Tarkartan. "How could be this strong?!" she demanded. "I should have that strength!"

"You're unworthy of my strength," Kitana replied.

Mileena backflipped out of Kitana's range, and retrieved her sais. Looking to her left, she saw a circuit breaker. In an attempt to get some distance between herself and Kitana, Mileena stabbed both sais into the dark box. The lights shorted out and Kitana found herself in darkness.

Kitana chuckled darkly. Mileena had hoped to rely on her Tarkartan senses to try and ambush her. It was one of Baraka's old tricks. Surround the target in darkness, then strike.

"The darkness...you think that by destroying a couple of lights, that you can rely on your Tarkartan sense of smell to track me down? You think that the darkness is your ally?"

With a yell, Mileena lunged...and missed.

Kitana's voice seemed to come from everywhere. "And you were once Kahnum of Outworld. You are but a spoiled child playing Empress. You fear me because I was always better than you."

"Coward! Face me!" Mileena shouted.

"All in due time, 'sister,'" Kitana sneered. "What do you know about the darkness? You merely adopted it. I was raised in it. And when I died, I was reborn in the darkness. I was molded by it. By the time I saw the light..." At that moment, the emergency lights came on. Kitana was standing behind Mileena.

Mileena became privy to the fact only after Kitana's booted foot slammed into the back of her skull, knocking her down.

"...it was nothing to me but blinding," Kitana finished.

Mileena dodged Kitana's attempt to stomp her face in and after scrambling to her feet, ran further down the corridor. Kitana pulled out her fans. "Now who's the coward?" Kitana taunted. "Give me a good hunt, sister."

Kitana casually strolled down the hall after Mileena.

(Hammerballs end here)

* * *

With Kano...

The Black Dragon boss found himself inside a room with a series of cubicles and offices partitioned by glass walls (think the office area in Kiss of the Dragon where Jet Li fought the Twins). Deadpool had vanished. Upon reaching the elevators, he noticed a sheet of paper that was taped to the elevator's doors.

A map of the building that he was in. A crude, anime-style drawing of his head was accompanied by the words ' **YOU ARE HERE** ' was scribbled on the sheet of paper. This was accompanied by a drawing of Sonya and Cassie's heads along with that of his son, Sonya's image pulling down her eye and the daughter flipping him off, along with the words ' **DOWN HERE.** '

Kano understood almost immediately. Sonya and Cassie were several floors down below his current position.

 **DING.**

The elevator doors slid open. Kano dropped the sheet of paper and took one step inside...

"PEEK-A-BOO!" Deadpool crowed as one booted foot slammed into Kano's face, the Black Dragon boss landing on his back for the third time in five minutes.

Hopping down from the elevator car, Deadpool shorted out the elevator controls, rendering them useless. "Who's a man and a half?!" he taunted. "I'm a man and a half!" He held up his fists like an old-timey boxer and began to shuffle on his feet as if he was imitating Muhammad Ali. "Berserker packin' man and a half! How bad? Real bad! I'm a twelve-point-oh on the ten-point-oh scale of badness!"

"You little..." Kano seethed as he scrambled back to his feet.

"Aw, the little Aussie is mad? Boo-hoo."

Without a single word, Kano went for his oversized knives.

"Oh-ho-ho. Must be a Paul Hogan fan, I take it?" Deadpool asked, mocking Kano's accent as he drew his own katanas. He then spoke in his usual tone. "Honestly...I was more of a Leonardo type of guy myself." He began to pace a bit. "Although some folks paint me as a Michaelangelo...oh well, that's them labeling me..."

 **SMACK.**

Deadpool was caught unaware by Kano's boot to the skull.

"I will not be labeled!" Deadpool shouted. Then he added, "Cue the music."

(The hook from MC Remix by Ryuzo begins to play)

Kano was confused, but only briefly, as he was forced on the defensive, backpedalling as he avoided and parried Deadpool's katana swings, his massive Bowie knives blocking his opponent's blows.

Deadpool yelped as Kano's fist slammed into his side. "Ow! My kidney!" he shouted. This was followed by Kano paying Deadpool back for laying into him using his Cannonball by slamming Deadpool with his signature move. The Merc with the Mouth landed on top of a desk.

Deadpool rolled out of the way, avoiding Kano's attempt to impale him with his knives. Now, Deadpool was on the defensive as he blocked and parried Kano's attacks.

"You're good!" Deadpool cheered. "But you're not me!"

Deadpool counterattacked. Pulling out his submachine gun, he fired off a burst, forcing Kano to take retreat. Then he teleported to his location and attacked.

Kano had military training. He didn't serve, mind you, but the Black Dragon was very through in his training regimen. Kombat, weapons training, high-tech sabotage, even torture. But Wade Wilson was ex-Special Forces...and even more batshit crazy than Mileena.

Combined with the healing factor, that made Deadpool even more dangerous. Kano didn't want to use the Kamidogu in his possession. No, that, he was saving for either Sonya or Cassie. But seeing as how Cassie had his son hostage and that he had used him as her personal punching bag, forcing Sonya's eldest daughter in a Blood Code rampage looked even more attractive.

But first, Deadpool had to go. Kano had deduced that he would teleport again, and this time, he would be ready. Sure enough, Deadpool teleported after Kano provoked him by throwing several smaller knives at him.

Kano was a fraction of a second off.

"I..." Deadpool's voice was now to the side of him.

Kano ended up blasting a hole in the window, where the sounds of the battle came through from the outside.

"HATE."

Kano missed again, blasting a second hole through the cubicle's walls.

"YOUR."

The last words were whispered right into Kano's ear, as he emerged right behind him. "Dumb face."

Kano's elbow landed right into Deadpool's kidney a second time, and for a second time, Wade Wilson yelped in pain. This was quickly followed by a laser blast which blinded Deadpool long enough for Kano to bring his knives to bear.

 **THWACK.**

(The MC Remix here ends abruptly via record scratch)

Deadpool started to choke on his own blood as Kano's first knife was jammed into his throat. "Ooh...shit," he gurgled.

Kano smirked as he impaled Deadpool in the throat with his first blade. "That should shut you up," he said as he tossed his second blade into the air, before catching it and throwing it with precise accuracy into Deadpool's skull.

The Regenerating Degenerate fell face-down to the floor, the knives running him through until the blades were sticking out of the back of his neck and skull.

* * *

Back with Johnny and Liu...

(Control from the Mortal Kombat film soundtrack resumes here)

If there was one thing for certain that Johnny Cage hated, it was fighting someone affected by the Blood Code.

He had bad memories of fighting Jacqui when she was enslaved to the blood magik, and then he himself was enslaved by his niece to the blood magik. Between choosing to deal with a kombatant hopped up on blood magik and an empowered Sindel, he'd choose Kitana's homicidal mother any day of the week.

But, he was thankful to have Liu at his back. The former revenant was good. Real good. Johnny knew this, as he was Raiden's chosen champion before he himself took the job. He killed Shao Kahn and bested Shang Tsung back in Earthrealm. He just let his emotions get the better of him, which led to his untimely demise.

But now, Liu was focused, showing an intensity that not even Johnny himself had see during his match with Iron Fist. Even with his warrior bloodline and Liu's flames and brutal assassination techniques, Jarek just kept coming. He had died twice already - Liu ripping out his voicebox and Johnny snapping his neck - not counting Johnny's work with the fire extinguisher.

But Jarek just kept coming.

The corrupted Black Dragon operative chuckled darkly. " **Is that all you got?** " he sneered. " **You can't kill me. I'll just keep coming back! The blood is the life...** "

"I think the third time's gonna be the charm," Johnny said. "There's a reason why we've been killing you and you haven't stayed dead."

Jarek attempted a Cannonball, but both Johnny and Liu dodged the attack. Liu countered with his Flying Bicycle Kick, Striking Jarek in the face repeatedly, before Johnny followed through with his Shadow Kick, his booted foot connecting to Jarek's skull.

Liu kept up the pressure, pummeling Jarek with his Windmill Fist, striking Jarek in the face and chest repeatedly. This was followed by Johnny smacking Jarek over the head with the fire extinguisher yet again. Once again, Jarek went down.

But he slowly staggered back to his feet. " **You can't...kill me!** " Jarek snarled.

Much to Jarek's surprise, Johnny smirked as he dropped the hydrant. "In three, two, one, and..."

Jarek took a step forward...and froze. The red in his eyes seeped away, revealing his natural brown eyes. This was followed by him stumbling, trying to maintain a vertical base, as his body felt drained, weakened.

Johnny grinned. "As someone who's been corrupted by the Blood Code, it burns out of your system faster if you take serious damage, hence all the times you've died at our hands."

Jarek paled. "Oh, no..."

Johnny turned to Liu. "Liu...this is the moment that Jarek realized he fucked up."

Liu's grin matched that of Johnny's own. Jarek knew that his fate was sealed.

Before Jarek could even utter the word 'Mercy,' the former Shaolin was upon him in an instant. A hard punch to the gut, which was followed by a right cross to the face. Liu followed through with another punch to the gut and an open palm strike to Jarek's head.

(Cue the X-Ray of Jarek's head cracking)

Liu continued the assault with a hard kick to Jarek's side, a left cross to the face, followed by a karate chop to the back of the neck.

(Cue the X-Ray of Jarek's spine between the head and shoulders cracking)

The kick to the head knocked Jarek back to a vertical position, allowing Liu to strike him in the back three times.

(Cue the X-Ray of Jarek's ribcage breaking and his organs rupturing).

The final blow knocked him towards Johnny, who went into a spinning overhead kick, of which he followed through with a powerful spinning back kick.

(Cue the X-Ray of Jarek's jaw being dislocated, complete with several teeth knocked out)

Johnny continued his assault by grabbing Jarek's head and slamming it into his right knee.

(Cue the X-Ray of Jarek's already-fractured head breaking even further)

The backflip kick launched both men into the air.

(Cue another X-Ray of Jarek's jaw, now unhinged, complete with more teeth being knocked out)

Johnny landed gracefully on his feet, while Jarek landed in a mangled heap, after flipping several times ass over teakettle in the air.

"Bit too brutal, Liu?" Johnny asked as the two men stood over Jarek.

"Substance trumps style any day of the week, Cage," Liu replied.

"True," Johnny said. A stroke of inspiration came over him. "Question: we both know what happens when you mix fire with electricity, right?"

Liu rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me."

Johnny raised one hand, summoning a ball of green energy. "I think Jarek wants to see what would happen if my shadow energy reacts to your flames."

Liu's grin took on an evil tone. He raised his hand and summoned a ball of flame. "I think so too."

"Please...no," Jarek moaned.

Famous last words, as both Johnny and Liu threw their respective fireballs at Jarek. The reaction was as if they had tossed a hand grenade. The blast wave knocked both Johnny and Liu on their backs. For Jarek, everything from the waist up was gone.

Johnny and Liu, aside from having the wind knocked out of them, were unharmed.

(Control ends here)

"Whoa," Johnny said.

"Let's not do that again," Liu said as he got back up.

"Yeah, agreed," Johnny seconded as he got back to his feet. "Now I'm glad I got that insurance policy from Damage Control."

"You sure you're covered for this?" Liu asked.

"Yup. Got Danny to thank for that." Johnny looked at what remained of Jarek. "One Black Dragon scumbag down..."

"...three to go," Liu said. "And here, I thought I was done playing hero."

"You and me both, Liu," Johnny said. "Come on. We still got bad guys to fight."

Liu nodded. But then he stopped. "Wait. The Kamidogu."

"Oh! Right! I forgot about that!" Johnny said. He retrieved the knife. "Good thing my office is in this building. We'll need to make a quick stop to drop this off before we do anything."

Liu nodded.

A quick visit to his office and Johnny had the Outworld Kamidogu locked away inside his safe. With that problem out of the way, Liu and Johnny returned to the battle that was raging.


	17. 11: Skirmish At Cage Inc, Part 2

**Chapter Eleven: Skirmish At Cage Incorporated, Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: I posted this early so I can focus on Part three and the Omake. Bear with me as I am a tad rusty when it comes to battle scenes. I should be finished with this first battle by next month. I hope.

UPDATE! We get to see Simon in action against Kano alongside Cassie in the first half of the match before Sonya arrives.

Onboard the Helicarrier, en route to Cage Incorporated, 20 minutes earlier...

"Some people have issues. Others have subscriptions. And a few own newsstands."

It was something that Steve Rogers was fond of saying. When Carol asked what he meant by that, he merely smiled at her, and told her that she would figure it out one day.

Funny how she found out what that phrase meant after discovering the truth about the Cage family and Liu Kang. She remembered the day in which the Mighty Avengers had confronted Danny Rand following their escape from Stark's trap, shortly before the ill-fated raid at Union Vale, in which they had captured Cassie Cage, rather than Jessica Jones Cage. Johnny Cage had been present, alongside his daughter, and had watched the confrontation with mild amusement.

It would be much later on that Carol would find out the reason behind Johnny's visit to Daniel Rand: to tell him about the military loophole in the SHRA, meaning that Stark and the Mighty Avengers could not touch them if they registered under the military, rather than with S.H.I.E.L.D., thus allowing them not only save haven at Fort Burton, but also keeping them out of prison.

Then, as they left, Johnny had said, "Heroes fighting heroes. Makes you wonder what the bad guys are doing."

"What do you know about being a hero, Cage?" Carol had demanded.

Johnny merely smirked at her and replied, "More than you ever know, Carol. More than you ever know."

Now, the truth was revealed. Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade and Cassandra Cage were genuine heroes that had saved their home realm from destruction. They didn't do it for glory or prestige. It was simply the right thing to do. For Cassie, her beating down Shinnok had been before her powers had manifested.

Of course, that didn't mean that they were perfect. They had plenty of baggage with them, from what she and the others have seen

Carol had saw a lot of herself in Cassie. While Carol didn't grow up in a life of privilege (she still couldn't fathom the head of Cage Incorporated being an actor in his old life), she yearned for her mother's recognition and approval following her and Johnny's first divorce.

The Blood Code event had been a wake-up call for Cassie, which drove her to pursue a military career. Carol could understand that. She wanted to stand on her own two feet, to earn recognition as Cassandra Carlton Cage, not as the spoiled daughter of an action star and a hard-nosed general.

For Carol, it reminded her of why she joined the Air Force; to earn her father's recognition and respect.

While Carol was a bit miffed that Cassie was in her early forties but looked to be in her mid-twenties due to having lost sixteen of her years (and even Cassie said that going through puberty sucked for a second time), she was actually envious as to how Sonya and Johnny looked. Both were in their seventies, but could pass for someone in their thirties.

'And I thought Logan, Cap and 'Tasha were well-preserved,' Carol thought.

While Cap and Iron Man was busy filling in the others with the events at the Cove - and ensuring that the origins of the Cage Family, Liu Kang and Kitana were the highest level in regards to secrecy - as well as the impending threat of their former home, Carol left to look for Sonya.

The former general was easy enough to locate. She was out on the Helicarrier's deck, speaking into her phone, pacing. "...is a Stage 3 Battle Alert," Carol had heard Sonya saying into the phone. "I want everyone locked and cocked and on their way to Cage Inc. now. Blade out."

Sonya pocketed the phone. Sighing, she turned around, and saw Carol, in a S.H.I.E.L.D. leather flight jacket, and unmasked. Before Sonya could say anything, Carol raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Easy. I come in peace."

Sonya said nothing. She instead turned around, looking at the city.

Carol saw it as a promising development. She walked over to the former general. "I grew up in a traditional Boston home with two younger brothers. My father was a contractor who believed in the merits of hard work. My father...he was difficult. Like a closed book. He favored Steven over me, even sent him to college on his dime. He believed that women were not equal to men. I wanted to prove him wrong. That was one of the reasons why I joined the Air Force."

"..." Sonya remained silent.

"When I saw Cassie's memories, of how she wanted your approval when she herself was a Sergeant under your command, I saw myself, trying to earn my father's approval. Gotta admit that you were a total bitch towards both your daughter and Johnny."

"I know. I was responsible for cultivating that seed of self-doubt in Cassie," Sonya admitted. "It's easier now to admit that being a military officer was a lot easier than being a mother and wife back in Earthrealm. I hid under the excuse of 'having responsibilities' whenever Johnny or Cassie called me out on my flaws." She paused for a moment. "I know what it's like, trying to live up to one's expectations."

Carol looked at her.

"I'm a military brat. Third-generation Blade to join the military. Dad was a Marine. Daniel and I both idolized our father," Sonya said. "I lost my father and brother in the space of three years. After Kano killed my fiance, I just closed myself from the outside word."

"That's where Johnny Cage came in," Carol said, remembering the memory of their first meeting on Shang Tsung's Island. "Hard to believe that he was an actor."

Sonya chuckled. "I know."

Both women were silent for a moment. Carol sighed as she placed her hands inside her pockets. "Look...I never was one to eat crow, Sonya. Just admitting that I was wrong on many things to you is hard."

"You're preaching to the choir," Sonya snorted. "I did the same thing with Johnny and Cassie after she had beaten Shinnok. Blaming someone for their own faults is easy. Admitting that you fucked up is hard. Fortunately for me, neither one of them don't lord it over me when I admit that I'm wrong. Your apology is accepted, by the way."

Carol allowed herself a small grin. "So what happens now?"

"Now?" Sonya repeated. "Oh that's easy, Carol." Her expression went serious. "We go to war. Nineteen years..."

"And you look good for a woman in her seventies, Colonel," Carol added.

Sonya chuckled. "It's General." Off Carol's surprised expression, Sonya continued. "I called my bosses and told them of the impending invasion before I called my unit into action. You just missed Steve, as he vouched for me." She sighed. "Once again, I'm General Blade. Brigadier General Blade, but still..."

"Brigadier General Blade. Does have a nice ring to it. Does your family know?"

"Not yet. I'll tell them soon enough."

Carol paused for a moment. "Sonya...just how were you able to keep up with me when we were both fighting over Julia?"

Sonya smiled meanly. "I have Johnny to thank for that. He replicated the Seidan basic training regimen to the last detail. Of which I use for any recruit into my Special Forces unit. I think even Captain America himself would be burned out by the basic training."

"That bad, huh?"

Sonya nodded.

"So...your former boss has joined forces with your worst enemy. What now?"

Sonya chuckled darkly. "Raiden is playing Kano. The fool doesn't know it yet." She then told Carol about what she had seen at the Sky Temple following her own corruption. "Raiden said that he would be doing me a great service in eliminating Kano, seeing as how I couldn't do it. But now...seeing as how no one here bar the Avengers and the X-Men don't know about Kano and my past with him, he's a dead man."

* * *

Cage Incorporated, Now...

"Ninjas!" Spider-Man shouted as he slung a Hand ninja across the main grounds with his webbing. "Why did it have to be ninjas?"

"I thought you loved fighting ninjas!" Luke Cage shouted as he cracked two Black Dragons' skulls together.

"That was before Kano killed Elektra and took over the Hand!" Spidey defended.

"Okay, I concede that point to you," Luke said as he uppercut-ed a Hand ninja into the air.

Spidey's Spider-Sense then went haywire. "Heads up, Cage!"

Luke didn't have time to move, as he was body-checked by Ben Grimm, having been knocked back by Tremor. Even with his body made of organic rock, the blow to the head really stung. If he was lucky, then he would only end up with a concussion.

With the help of Colossus and Spidey, they were able to get The Thing off of Luke. "Ben? You okay?" Spidey asked, slapping the powerhouse of the Fantastic Four.

"I don't feel so good..." Ben mumbled.

"Dammit..." Luke muttered as he hauled himself to a vertical base. "Jess is gonna kill me," He looked down at his shredded shirt. "That shirt was a gift."

Meanwhile, Tremor was going through S.H.I.E.L.D. agents like Godzilla stomping through Tokyo. He had already slain twelve S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and had knocked Ben Grimm out of the fight.

Now, Mockingbird stood in his path. Staves in her hands, she stood her ground against the murderous earth ninja. Suspecting that Tremor wasn't hard like rock all over, she flung one of the staves at his face, a move that Tremor himself did not expect the ex-wife of Hawkeye to do.

The stave struck Tremor right in the eye, causing him to stumble back several steps. Unfortunately for Bobbi, the move did not weaken him. It only served to enrage him.

"Petulant little insect!" Tremor bellowed as he charged at Bobbi, who quickly backed away.

Sadly, she wasn't fast enough.

Three stone stalagmites emerged from behind Mockingbird. The superheroes watched in horror as Mockingbird was impaled three times; the first going through her pelvic region, the second destroying her heart, and the third going through the back of her head.

Bobbi didn't know what hit her, as death was instant.

Then, Tremor morphed his hands into dual stone mallets and smashed Bobbi's head into a pulp.

"BOBBI!" Hawkeye's anguished scream was heard throughout the courtyard, having watched his ex-wife die in such a brutal fashion.

With the death of Bobbi Morse, the heroes saw that all bets were off. An enraged Hawkeye tried to attack Tremor, only to be knocked out of the battle when Tremor's mallet-shaped hands broke several of his ribs.

Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman swooped down, laying into Tremor with their energy blasts, with Cyclops doing the same from the ground. While Tremor was distracted by the numerous energy blasts, Luke Cage layed into him, pummeling Tremor with his bare fists, before being joined by Captain America himself.

Meanwhile, Logan, not only having carved his way through a gang of Black Dragons and Hand Ninja, but having witnessed Mockingbird's demise, found his way to Colossus, who had just backhanded a Hand ninja into several of his friends. "Petey."

"Logan," Colossus replied. "Wish this reunion would have been under more pleasant circumstances."

Logan looked at Tremor, who had his hands full with Cap and Luke. Then he turned back to Colossus. "How's yer throwin' arm, Petey?"

Despite the circumstances, Colossus smirked.

* * *

Above, Iron Man was firing off repulsor blasts as the Hand's throwing kunai and shuriken bounced harmlessly off his armor. He, too, had witnessed the death of Bobbi Morse and Hawkeye screaming her name. Despite their differences, Bobbi was an Avenger through and through.

One thing for sure, Raiden was going to answer for this war that he has brought to Earth. He could have blamed the Cage family, but they were innocent. They simply fled their home realm to avoid his corruption and Raiden did not want to let them go.

Then, he noticed Wolverine, crouched into a ball, arms cross and claws out, perched in Colossus's hand. Then he looked at Tremor, who was still fighting both Luke and Cap and put two and two together.

"Steve!" Iron Man shouted through his communicator. "Fastball Special incoming!"

Captain America spun around, and saw Colossus heaving one arm back, one hairy little Canadian mutant with a bad attitude and a pair of adamantium claws perched in the Russian's hand.

Cap's reaction was instant. "Spider-Man! Go for the eyes!" he shouted.

Spidey complied. He shot a stream of webbing at Tremor's face, blinding him, just as Colossus flung Wolverine in their general direction.

Emma, having seen Bobbi's death and Colossus chucking Wolverine claws-first at her murderer, decided to help out in her own way. Using her telekinesis, she made Wolverine spin. Cap pulled Luke out of the way, just as Tremor managed to rip the webbing from his eyes.

The last thing the earth ninja saw was Wolverine, spinning towards his face.

Cap, Luke and Emma winced, as did Spider-Man, Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel, as Logan obliterated Tremor's head. Logan flipped out of the spin, landing on his feet, right before turning around and watching with grim satisfaction as Tremor's headless corpse keeled over.

"That's a new take on the Fastball Special," Luke noted as he looked at the twitching corpse of Tremor, blood spraying from the stump where his head used to be.

"Looked more like a Drill Claw to me," Iron Fist added, also having witnessed Tremor's demise.

Iron Man landed next to Tremor's body. A quick search of the body produced the Netherrealm Kamidogu, thus proving what Johnny and Sonya had said was indeed true.

"Colonel Blade, I found a Kamidogu on Tremor's body," Iron Man reported.

"General Blade," Sonya corrected. "You got a secure place where you can store it?"

"The Helicarrier will work."

"Good. Do that."

After cutting the feed, Tony made a quick trip to the Helicarrier. After securing the Kamidogu inside his office, Tony returned to the battle.

* * *

Unknown to Liu Kang and Johnny Cage, there had been a spectator in their fight.

Shang Tsung had watched in the shadows, watched as how despite Jarek using the Kamidogu to inflict the Blood Code on himself, that Johnny Cage and Liu Kang were able to kill him.

In a way, he was not surprised. Given as to how both Johnny and his daughter were able to best Shinnok, they had the talent of making the impossible possible.

When Raiden had given them the order to kill his former champions and to bring Cassie Cage back, Kano had approached him with a request – the Kamidogu. Following the Blood Code fiasco, Raiden had the weapons locked away. But, as Raiden's chief Shadow Priest, Shang had access to the enchanted blades, still carrying the taint of the Blood Code.

However, Kano opted to just steal them from under his and Raiden's noses.

Kano needed an edge. And seeing as how the exiled kombatants had been gone for nineteen years, his concerns were not misplaced. But in truth, Kano wanted the Kamidogu in order to re-corrupt one of Cassie's parents, and to force them to fight to the death.

Shang had been fascinated by the Blood Code, of which Quan Chi had procured from Nitara in order to free Shinnok's Amulet. But Quan Chi had been a fool to entrust Havik with the task. But blood magik proved to be unpredictable and unstable. As he had been inflicted by the Blood Code in the past, Johnny knew what to expect, and Jarek paid for his arrogance with his life.

But, in spite of this, this alternative Earthrealm proved to be...interesting. Shang had learned quite a bit after absorbing Elektra's soul. Men and women of extraordinary talents and abilities...things that piqued Shang's interest. Quite a shame that once Raiden finds out that this realm could just as easily destroy Earthrealm that he would have it destroyed.

Now, with Jarek dead and the Kamidogu in Johnny's possession and locked away, Kano had lost his best man. But he still had Tasia and Tremor. But even he could see that despite assimilating the Hand, that the battle's outcome is more than clear. Kano's loss was inevitable.

Unknown to Kano, Raiden hadn't fully trusted him after offering him the pardon for his past crimes. As it turned out, Raiden had also had the Red Dragon in his employ, just in case Kano had gotten a bit too big for his britches. Even Shang was appalled by how Kano and his son had raped and butchered Vera Briggs. Had it been him tasked with doing away with Jax's wife, he would had done it painlessly, as she was a non-kombatant.

Sonya had been right about Kano. He was an opportunist, nothing more. Despite the pardon, Raiden had not entirely forgiven Kano for stealing Shinnok's Amulet. Which is why the deal with the Red Dragon. In exchange for the loyalty of Daegon and his forces, Raiden promised Daegon that he would eradicate the heretic clan once and for all.

But for the moment, what remained of the Red Dragon was stationed at his namesake island fortress, tasked with guarding a weakened Fujin, alongside the remnant Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei, as Raiden had concerns keeping Fujin in Seido. Better to keep him imprisoned where he can monitor him closely.

Shang looked at Jarek's corpse. 'You never cease to amaze me, Johnny Cage,' he thought. 'You certainly have come a long way ever since you showed up on my island all those years ago. And you, Liu Kang...your killer instinct, honed by your years spent in the Netherrealm...who would have thought that the Shaolin would become an assassin.'

One person had caught his interest. A blonde girl, dressed in leather, wielding a longsword. While she would be labeled as a mutant, according to Elekra's memories, he knew that she was a sorceress.

Illyana Rasputin. Otherwise known as Magik, as he had overheard her someone calling out her name. But Shang wasn't looking to steal her soul. Far from it. He was scouting her to become his apprentice.

Aside from Magik, Cassandra Cage also proved to be quite the interesting subject. Having inherited her father's warrior bloodline and survived not only Sindel and Kitana's revenant forms, but also Shinnok himself. No wonder Raiden wanted her back, as he had plans to make her his newest champion.

Shang had considered absorbing Jarek's soul, but in the end, opted out. He had nothing for him to offer. He even considered unleashing the Tarkarta in the battle, but Kano was adamant in doing this without his aid.

 _"The Cage Family is my assignment, so piss off."_

 _"As you wish, Kano."_

Shang smirked to himself. Somehow, Kano was probably regretting having given him the brush-off. Then again, Raiden's patience with Kano was wearing very thin. Of course, Daegon would be pissed to find out that Raiden's former champions had robbed him of the chance to kill Kano once and for all.

Raiden, on the other hand, not so much.

* * *

Back to Kano...

With Deadpool down for the count and the elevator disabled, Kano was stuck inside the office area. Looking down at the battle below, he saw that the battle was still raging. He could easily make out Tremor on the ground, as he was fighting a man who could easily pass as Jax's little brother. The earth ninja had already killed one of the heroes – a blonde woman wielding a pair of battle staves – impaling her and destroying her head, which had all but enraged the heroes, especially the archer.

That would ultimately lead to Tremor's own demise at the hands of the little man with the claws...and the confiscation of the Kamidogu in his possession by the man in the red armor.

A dark-skinned, white-haired woman was in the air, blasting away the shuriken and kunai that the Hand ninja was throwing at her, and she was countering with summoning gale force winds and the occasional lightning bolt, knocking them back. She was accompanied by a brunette in a spider-esque costume and a curvaceous blonde was raining down energy blasts alongside an armored man.

Suffice to say, Kano had a feeling of dread growing in his gut. He had expected an easy assignment. Kill Sonya and Johnny, and bring Cassie back. But nowadays, things were never simple.

Kano couldn't return to Earthrealm. Not without Cassie and her parents dead.

First things first, he needed to get off this floor. His son – and most importantly – Sonya Blade and Cassie Cage – were several floors below. His revierie was interrupted when a group of Black Dragons - five in total - managed to break into the office area by shattering the door.

"Boss! You okay?" one of the mooks asked.

Kano nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." He grunted as he held his ribs. Looking at Deadpool's body he added, "Bastard tagged me good with his ribs. Status report?"

"No sign of your son," the lead mook replied. "We lost contact with Jarek, as he was last seen fighting Cage and the Shaolin."

"And Shang Tsung?" demanded Kano.

"No sign of him. But we did see Mileena in kombat with Kitana. Orders, sir?"

"Gather a squad and sweep the building from top to bottom," Kano replied. "I want Sonya and her brat brought to me alive, understand."

He received no reply. The masked mooks appeared to be frozen in place.

"Oi! Do you hear me? I'm talking to you!" Kano shouted.

The lead mook slowly raised a finger. But he wasn't pointing it at Kano. He was pointing behind him.

"Hey...we're not done yet," Deadpool's voice rang in Kano's ears.

Kano spun around. His eye nearly bugged out of his skull.

Deadpool was back on his feet. The two knives were still in his head and neck. "Not...cool," he gurgled. He reached up and yanked out the knife lodged in his throat.

Kano and the five Black Dragons looked on in disbelief. "Impossible!" Kano objected. "You should be dead!"

"If your blades were made out of carbonadium, then I would be," Deadpool replied. He reached for the knife that was sticking out of his head. "Oh, this is gonna hurt," he lamented as he began to pull out the blade. "Ah...tickles, tickles, tickles..."

After a brief effort, Deadpool yanked the knife out of his skull.

Then, without warning, he flung both blades, hitting two of the Black Dragon mooks in the chest. Both were dead before they hit the floor.

Before Kano could scream out an order for his men to kill Deadpool, the Merc With The Mouth already had his Uzis in hand, and had fired off a burst of gunfire, killing two more of the mooks. The last one was able to close the distance, forcing Deadpool to drop his guns. This was followed by the crimson-clad mercenary grabbing him and flinging him towards Kano, who ducked to avoid the flying body heading in his direction.

Said body crashed into a cubicle, where the mook's falling hand activated the radio.

(Cue Deadpool's Marvel vs Capcom 3 Theme)

Kano spun back to Deadpool...and did a double-take.

Just where in the hell did he have the time to change from his red-and-black jumpsuit and into a pair of sweats with the same color scheme, complete with gold chains around his neck, gold bracelets on his wrists, and several rings on his fingers?

"Now let's have some fun!" Deadpool said, striking a pose before, much to Kano's surprise, started to dance.

 _Please don't run about in my house, in my house_

 _Please don't talk about it you and me, you and me_

Growling, Kano pulled out several smaller knives and flung them at the dancing Deadpool, who simply leapt into the air, his body spinning in a butterfly twist, the knives missing him entirely. The backflip that followed was to avoid the laser blast to the face.

 _Please don't tell a lie, please don't make a lie_

 _Please, please, don't, don't, never, never, DO IT, DO IT_

Deadpool hopped up to avoid being kneecapped by Kano's eye beam, which was followed by a backflip, once again avoiding another eye blast to his face, which was followed by him dodging Kano's attempts to impale him with his knives.

 _DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND WHILE I MEAN WHEN I SAY SO?!_

 _NEVER DO IT NOW! NEVER DO IT NOW!_

Deadpool went low in a breakdance move, his legs sweeping out Kano's legs out from underneath him. Kano quickly recovered, but now, Deadpool was on his hands, spinning legs extended, nailing Kano in the face, before going into a gymnastics-style handstand.

Kano was forced on the defensive as he avoided Deadpool's hand-less somersault. He backpedalled even further to avoid a Capoeira-style front spring kick, followed by a front handspring, which left him open for the leaping kick to the face.

 _I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE THIS AGAIN!_

 _NEVER DO IT NOW! NEVER DO IT NOW!_

Roaring in frustration, Kano charged, ready to rip Deadpool apart. But as Deadpool continued to dance, Kano found himself unable to land a solid hit. Deadpool, however, had no problem hitting him.

Kano was certain that the mad merc had broken one of his ribs.

"Splick, slick, dynamite!" Deadpool taunted in a sing-song tone. As he moon-walked, he flipped Kano off with both fingers. "He's coming for me...watch the fight!"

 _DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND WHILE I MEAN WHEN I SAY SO?!_

 _NEVER DO IT NOW! NEVER DO IT NOW!_

Kano's foot brushed up against one of Deadpool's Uzis. Looking down, he quickly kicked up the weapon, caught it, and fired off a burst at the dancing mutate. Deadpool quickly teleported out of the way.

 _I JUST - **BZZT.**_

However, Kano did succeed in destroying the radio, which was behind Deadpool – and unfortunately, killing the fifth Black Dragon mook by accident.

Deadpool reappeared, now back in his normal attire. "Hey! That was my jam!" he shouted.

Kano spun on Deadpool, and raised...a rubber chicken?!

The look on Kano's face was definitely worth it. He was just holding a submachine gun just moments earlier!

'Good thing I still got that Continuity Gem,' Wade thought, said gem he had discreetly slipped into his pocket. He then raised his hand. Said hand now holding the same Uzi that Kano had just been holding moments earlier.

"Looking for this?" Deadpool asked, right before brandishing the second Uzi. In a mocking imitation of a Cuban accent, Deadpool said, while aiming his firearms, "Say hello to my little friends!"

Kano broke into a run, ignoring the pain in his side as Deadpool sprayed the area with high-velocity lead, destroying everything in his wake.

The shattered doorway was before him. For Kano, it was his salvation. He broke into a run...

...and skidded to a halt when Deadpool teleported in front of him. He aimed his guns at Kano's head. "Say goodnight, Gracie," Deadpool said, mocking Kano's Outback accent.

 **CLICK.**

"Aw, nuts," Deadpool said. "Forgot to count the rounds - oof!"

Kano's reaction was instant. He barreled into Deadpool using his Cannonball, knocking him on his back. Then he was down the hall. He found the stairs and after kicking the door down, was gone.

"Aw, come back!" Deadpool shouted as he got back to his feet. "I was havin' fun!"

Wade sensed movement from behind him. One of his swords was in his hand and he spun on his heels, ready to decapitate the attacker...and stopped.

It was a Hand ninja. "Wade?" the ninja blinked.

Deadpool cocked his head to the side. "Bob? Is that you?"

The erstwhile HYDRA member removed his mask. "Yeah, it's me. What are you doing here?"

"Working for the Cage family. I thought you were with HYDRA. What gives?"

Bob shrugged his shoulders. "Bad-guy exchange program. This was supposed to be my last week with these guys until Kano and the Black Dragon took over."

"Them's the breaks," Deadpool said, right before cold-cocking Bob with a right hook. "So...how's the wife and kids?" he asked as he dragged Bob's unconscious form back inside the office. He activated his headset. "Boss Lady, do you read?"

"Loud and clear, Wade," Sonya's voice replied.

"I ran into Kano and gave him the what-for, but the little bastard bugged out," Deadpool reported. "He's heading down to the ground floor."

"Understood," Sonya replied. "Go outside and assist the others. I'll take it from here."

"Time to express some rage," Deadpool mused as he went about to do Sonya's bidding.

* * *

With Sonya...

Sonya wanted nothing more than to be with her husband and the others when they confronted Kano. That, and see the look on his face when Johnny and the gathering of heroes take the fight to them.

But Cassie and Ravenna had just shrugged off the effects of the Phoenix's possession, and she had to make sure that they were ready.

Even back when she was the General of the Special Forces' Earthrealm Strategic Defense, Sonya wasn't content in just giving orders, far from the action. She was a frontline general, and she could always be found in the thick of the action, leading her troops.

Johnny had saw the old Sonya emerge during the Siege of Asgard, in which she led the Tactical Response Unit against the late Norman Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R. forces. He was there alongside his wife and daughters, fighting, in the thick of the battle.

And now, the old Sonya had reemerged yet again. Sonya didn't want to admit it, but she felt...alive when she was in the middle of battle, be it kombat or in this case, a war.

With Cassie and Ravenna now fully recovered, Deadpool engaging Kano several floor above her, and the TRU forces joining in the fight with Maria Hill and her S.H.I.E.L.D. forces, all that was left now was to prepare for the endgame between her and Kano. Cassie had been adamant in allowing her to team up with her, as her mutant abilities would give them an advantage.

The old Sonya would had said 'No.' This time, Sonya allowed it. Her husband was right when it came to kombat. Why should she act honorable when her opponent didn't? Her and Johnny's past experiences alongside those of their elder daughter were life lessons proving that her husband was right.

With the compound's living quarters locked down along with the rest of the buildings (save for the main offices and the Science building), the Tactical Defense Unit did not need to be concerned with civilian casualties.

Which also meant that Sonya herself could take in some good old-fashioned kombat herself.

The Black Dragon and The Hand ninja had already breached the main building, but she had a squad of her battle-hardened troops pinning most of them down. Some, however, decided to invade the building from the top floor and work their way down, thus outflanking her soldiers.

This was something that Sonya could not allow to happen.

While her men were armed with carbines, Sonya preferred her sidearm - a military-issued Sig Sauer M11, loaded with armor-piercing .40 caliber rounds - and her trusty gauntlets. Unfortunately, Sonya was down to her last clip, as she burned through her other two mowing down Black Dragon and Hand ninja dumb enough to step in her path.

But despite her and Johnny's preparations, Kano had thrown a monkey wrench into their plans when Johnny revealed that Jarek had the Kamidogu and had went Blood Code on him. Fortunately, Liu was there to help bring Jarek down and the Kamidogu that Jarek once possessed was now locked away in Johnny's office.

Five Black Dragon mooks stood in her path. Sonya was out of ammo for her gun. Which was fine by her, as she needed to vent.

"It's her!" one of the Black Dragons shouted. "It's General Blade!"

Sonya was upon them in an instant. The concentrated blast from her gauntlets had left a hole in the first guy's head. He was dead on his feet as Sonya charged past him, her eyes ablaze with nothing but pure fury as she began to take apart the remaining four Black Dragons that would rival what Sindel had done to her friends over four decades earlier.

The remaining Black Dragons realized too late that this wasn't the same Sonya Blade from Earthrealm. They should have realized that after Sonya had blasted a hole in their comrade's head.

One of the mooks was armed with a smaller version of Kano's oversized knives. Sonya quickly disarmed him and jammed the blade into the guy's throat. Leaving him to die, Sonya turned her attention to the others. Ducking under a clumsy haymaker, Sonya's booted foot slammed into the back of the man's head, severing his brain stem from his spine.

It was like turning off an 'Off' switch for the guy, as he dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Three down, two to go.

The two remaining Black Dragon mooks charged at Sonya, who calmly deflected and parried their attacks. They were not armed with firearms, although Kano might be regretting that decision.

An open palm strike drove the cartilage of the nose into the fourth Black Dragon's brain. As he sank to the floor, Sonya dove into a handstand, ensnaring the last mook's head with her legs. Rather than fling him across the hall, Sonya slammed him headfirst into the floor, snapping his neck like a twig.

Sonya's earpiece then came to life. "Boss Lady, do you read?" Deadpool's voice chimed in her ear.

"Loud and clear, Wade," was her reply.

"I ran into Kano and gave him the what-for, but the little bastard bugged out. He's heading down to the ground floor."

"Understood," Sonya replied. "Go outside and assist the others. I'll take it from here." She then hailed Carol. "Danvers, come in."

"Something you need, General?" Ms. Marvel asked.

"Go to the Helicarrier and bring Darren to me. It's time for the endgame."

"Understood." Ms. Marvel replied. "Retrieving the little bastard now."

"Okay, Kano," Sonya muttered as she made her way downstairs. "Time to settle this once and for all."

* * *

Back with Kano...

He found himself on the second floor, as the stairs ended there. He remembered that the second-floor consisted of nothing but a balcony that covered at least three-quarters of the second floor. He could see the battle that was raging outside, and it was starting to turn in the favor of the good guys, despite their losses.

Kano swore to himself. This mission had gone to hell in a handbasket. And he was nowhere closer to his goal of killing his longtime nemesis and her husband. On top of that, he was certain that several of his ribs were cracked, if not entirely broken.

At least he was on the second floor, which meant that he could return to the fray, and hopefully get some revenge for Tremor. Both Jarek and Tasia were not answering his hails. Shang Tsung and Mileena were nowhere to be seen.

"Are you lost?" a woman's voice – neither Sonya nor Cassie – asked.

Kano turned to the source of the voice. A woman stood near the front balcony. She was around Sonya and Cassie's height, with long strawberry-blond hair. Kano could see that she had a nice figure underneath her black turtleneck sweater, black slacks and shoes. He was curious as to why she was wearing a trenchcoat, which was the same shade as her glasses.

"Well, well," Kano began, flicking his nose. If he couldn't find Sonya, then he would at least have his fun with this woman. "Hello, baby. What's a pretty lady like you doing in a place like this?"

The woman – Julia Carpenter – folded her arms across her chest. "Oh...it's complicated, Kano. But I can tell you that the one you seek is close. Very close."

That caught Kano's attention. If Sonya was close, then that means his son wasn't too far behind!

"Looking for me?"

Kano spun around upon hearing Sonya's voice. Nothing. She wasn't there, yet he heard her voice as clear as day. When he turned back to face Julia, he was surprised to see that she was now standing within arms' reach.

That, and her sunglasses were off, showing her solid white eyes. And they were glowing.

Kano stiffened, as if he was unable to move. Then, both Julia and their surroundings vanished.

"I am...concerned with them being here."

"Do not concern yourself with them. They are my champions. My generals. Once, they were divided, now they are united for a greater cause. My cause. They would not dare betray me."

'The hell?!' Kano thought. 'Daegon...and Raiden?!'

Sure enough, the surroundings came into focus. He found himself inside the Kano found himself inside the Sky Temple's Jinsei Chamber. On one side, were Sonya, Jax, Scorpion, Subzero and Kenshi, standing motionless, eyes blank.

Kano was unable to move as he watched Sonya's memories of the meeting between the dark thunder god and the leader of the Red Dragon.

Kano watched as Raiden offered Daegon a pardon, with the destruction of the Black Dragon and his head on the table. Now Kano was starting to get angry. Raiden had been playing him this entire time?!

Kano had prided himself on being ten steps ahead of his enemies, particularly Sonya and her family. But to be screwed over himself, and by Raiden of all people, really stung at his ego.

"However, there is still the matter of Cassandra Cage and Jacqueline Briggs. I ask for justice for what they have done to Mavado."

"Do not concern yourself with those two. Jacqueline Briggs is under my control. Cassandra Cage will soon follow along with her father. I expect her to report in once she's finished with killing Shujinko. She may have beaten Shinnok with the aid of her father's bloodline, but she is easy to manipulate, playing with her pride. She will serve me as my next champion once her father dies."

If Kano wasn't starting to get pissed by this betrayal, then he would have been laughing his ass off with how Raiden had manipulated Cassie.

"And how will you eliminate Johnny Cage?"

"Kotal Kahn has invoked Mortal Kombat. I am hoping that either he or his underlings are up to the task. While Johnny Cage has served me well, he is an idiot that thinks only of himself. Cassandra Cage will prove to be the perfect champion once she is under my control."

"Fine. The girls will not be harmed."

"So do we have an accord?"

"That we do."

"I still have a use for the Black Dragon. I shall weaken them to the point that you will be able to destroy them without any problem."

Then, as fast as it began, the memory was over, with Kano back on the second-floor balcony. Kano collapsed onto the floor, taking deep breaths as his body was now once again under his control.

Standing above him, casually slipping her glasses back on, was Julia, who looked down on the older man with a smirk on his face.

"What you have experienced was directly from Colonel Blade's memories," Julia explained. "It appears that your new boss sold you out, asshole."

With a roar, Kano lunged at Julia, but she disappeared, her laughter ringing in his ears.

It took Kano a moment for him to understand what he had just experienced. Raiden was in cahoots with the Red Dragon, with the Black Dragon on the chopping block as payment for the alliance.

Forget mad. Kano was Pissed with a capital P. He was downright furious. Raiden, of all people, deceived him?!

'Screw the mission, and screw Raiden,' Kano thought. 'I'm gonna kill every last one of them. Fuck bringing Cassie and her sister back. Then I'll bring the Black Dragon here and start over...but not before I nuke the Sky Temple with Raiden in it!'

The sound of gunfire below brought his murderous intentions to a halt. Walking over to the balcony and looking down, he saw one of his targets, blasting her way through a horde of Hand ninja in a ballet of death.

Cassie Cage.

Kano decided to wait, and watch. He would attack when Cassie would least expect.

* * *

Aside from the Desert Eagles, Cassandra Cage also had a pair of secondary firearms. She had a fondness for the Glock semi-automatic handguns, as she wielded a pair back in Earthrealm. They were S-F issued, much to her dismay, but she was skilled enough to use both at once.

When Cassie graduated from officers' candidate school, she had purchased the dual Desert Eagles for herself. Inscribed on the barrels of her handcannons was the phrase 'Praised be the order brought forth from the very edge of chaos," which was the motto of the Seidan Guard.

Her backup pistols - a pair of Glock 21 Generation 4s - were standard-issue firearms for military officers. Back in Earthrealm, she once lamented about how tough it was being the general's daughter due to Sonya's demanding nature. Now, as an officer, she saw that it has it perks.

But Cassie didn't let it go to her head. Like her father, while she was quick with a witty reply, she was more older and somber. Being forced to flee from your home realm and leaving your teammates behind - one of which considered to be her sister in all but blood - tends to have that effect on a person.

When the skirmish began, both her and Ravenna were inside the lab. The girls then split, Ravenna gunning after Tasia, her Adamantium-forged O-katana in her hand, accompanied by Hope and Magik. After arming herself with her handcannons and her backup firearms, now secured in the custom-made back holsters similar to that she had back in Earthrealm, with her Desert Eagles secured in her hip holsters, the KA-BAR hidden in her boot, Cassie was ready for a fight.

Her blood pumping, Cassie used her firearms, her mutant powers and her martial arts abilities to leave a trail of bloodied and broken bodies, Black Dragon and Hand alike. The anger of leaving her friend behind at the mercy of a man she once admired...the rage she felt towards Kano and his son for what they had done to a woman whom Cassie considered to be an Aunt in all but blood...

The anger was her friend. It made her focus. It also helped her forget about her nightmares in regards to Shujinko.

"Keep the heart hot as Scorpion's flames, but the mind cool as Subzero's Kori powers," was a phrase that her mother was fond of saying to her when she was training her.

As Cassie neared the doors leading to the lobby, her father had reported in. Jarek was dead, and the Kamidogu that Jarek had on his person was in his possession.

Upon entering the lobby from a side door, she was greeted with the sight of a single Hand ninja. Cassie didn't hesitate.

(Cue 'Library Fight' from Ultraviolet)

Ducking under the shuriken thrown in her direction, Cassie's fist smashed into the ninja's trachea. As the ninja collapsed to the ground, dying from his injury, a squad of Hand ninja came charging through the side corridors...

...and was promptly riddled with the dead Hand ninja's stash of kunai and shuriken, thanks to Cassie's telekinesis.

But Cassie's night was just beginning, as a squad of Black Dragon thugs came charging through the main entrance, as well as the side corridors.

Cassie's hands reached for the dual Glocks. Each gun was loaded with a ten-round-clip, the ammo used being .45 armor-piercing ACP rounds. Twenty rounds in total. In a smooth, fluid motion, Cassie had the guns in her hands.

 **BLAM. BLAM.**

The first two standing in front of her fell to the ground, the rounds destroying their hearts.

'Eighteen,' Cassie thought, mentally counting down the bullets she had left in her gun.

From the side corridors, four more Black Dragons fell, this time from headshots; two from the left, and two from the right.

'Fourteen,' Cassie thought as she continued to advance. She leapt in the air, her body spinning in a butterfly twist, planting two more rounds into two more thugs that tried to sneak in from behind.

'Twelve.'

Landing on her feet, Cassie spun, lowering herself to the floor, dodging the knives thrown at her, while at the same time, letting loose with four more shots, which left four more bodies.

'Eight.'

Cassie spun again, firing off six rounds; four at the Black Dragons trying to flank her, the two going through the eye of the two Black Dragon in front of her.

'Two.'

The last two rounds were for the two Black Dragons that tried to get the jump on her from the second-floor balcony overlooking the first floor lobby.

('Library Fight' ends here.)

The slides in her handgun were locked back, showing that she was out of ammo.

'Zero.'

Cassie looked around at the carnage. No one was alive. She hated to kill, but as a soldier, she had to get her hands dirty once in a while. It was a miracle in itself that she wasn't a sociopath with her assortment of problems. Although she was very close.

"Wow. Nice shooting, babe," Simon said from his place at the front door. He had been helping the heroes outside when he caught a glimpse of Cassie inside the building, unloading her handguns into the bad guys. Walking over to his girlfriend, he added, "Seeing that first-hand, and not on video is...strange, to say the least."

Cassie snorted. "This coming from a guy who was zapped by ionic energy."

As Cassie reloaded the clips in her Desert Eagles, followed by securing them in her holsters, her instincts were screaming for her to move. Not to turn around, but to move. And after twenty-plus years, she trusted her instincts more than anything.

"WHOA!" Simon shouted as Cassie pushed him out of the way with her mind, followed by her taking a single step to the left, a side-step...

...just as Kano flew by, body tucked tight into a ball. He had escaped Deadpool and arrived on the second floor, where he watched Cassie decimate the Hand and the Black Dragon. Kano waited for Cassie to be distracted in order to strike.

Kano was most surprised when he did not slam into both Cassie and the new guy, having jumped from the second-floor landing overlooking the lobby.

He landed on the floor and spun around. But Cassie was faster. Much faster, as Kano realized. The body blow had some serious power behind it. Judging that green sparks had kicked off from the impact, Cassie was using her shadow powers for an added boost in power. This was followed by a punch to the face that bloodied his nose. The two more to the face rattled his teeth.

The triple punch combo: left jab, right jab, uppercut, knocked him back several steps.

It took Simon a moment to recognize Kano from Cassie's memories. Then, he joined in the fray.

Recovering quickly, Kano counterattacks with a right cross, but Cassie ducked under it and landed a power punch into his torso. The blow to the jaw made his face hurt even more. Another punch to the gut followed by a blow to the face, and several more to the ribcage, cracking – if not breaking – more of his ribs.

Then, Cassie hopped into the air and planted both feet into Kano's chest, knocking him back several steps...

...and coming to a stop behind Wonder Man himself.

Kano turned around, and barely avoided the haymaker that would had knocked his head off. Blocking another of Simon's haymakers, Kano unleashed a vicious right cross that landed flush on Simon's face. Simon, much to Kano's shock, didn't go down, although he did succeed in knocking his red-tinted glasses off his face.

Slowly, deliberately, Simon turned his head back to Kano, his glowing red eyes alight in fury. Kano, for his part, was shocked. That blow should had broken his jaw, and yet he shrugged it off as if it was nothing.

Then, he casually backhanded Kano, sending the Black Dragon chief stumbling, followed by a spinning back kick to the jaw, knocking him back. Simon had been both the hero and villain, and he had been trained in how to not only use his powers, but to also how to fight.

But despite being a villain, even he was horrified over what Kano and his son had done to the woman whom Cassie saw as an aunt in all but blood.

Kano had found out the hard way that not only was Simon Williams was built like a tank, but he could just hit as hard as well. Kano had landed several blows that could had crippled him outright, and he just shrugged them off like they were nothing.

Maybe blowing off Shang Tsung's offer of aid was a bad idea?

He tried to bolt to the door, hoping to at least rally the troops. Instead, he felt Simon grab him by the back of his neck and flung him away from the door.

Towards Cassie.

Cassie threw out a punch, but Kano caught her wrist. He then went for an Akido throw. But instead of slamming onto the pavement, Cassie landed on her feet after performing a somersault, and reversed the hold with one of her own. Kano ended up flat on his back. He rolled out of the way in order to avoid Cassie's foot stomping his face in.

With a roar, Kano lunged, but grabbed nothing. He instead, got Cassie's booted feet into his chin, as Cassie hopped back, landing on her shoulders. She then finished off the suicide kip-up by landing on her feet, while Kano shook off the attack.

Cassie was on the attack, throwing out several jabs, of which Kano dodged. Then Kano felt the air forced out of his lungs by a straight punch to the breastplate. Cassie went low, unleashing a five-hit combo, striking at his knees and lower legs while on her knees, which was followed by a straight punch to the groin. The Shadow Kick knocked Kano back several feet. He got back to his feet, furious over that he was unable to land a single blow.

The match was at a stand-off, Kano and Cassie slowly circling the other, while Simon hovered in the air, keeping pace with his girlfriend. Kano wiped the blood from his nose, while Cassie tied her hair back into a bun.

Her father had always joked that she would always get serious whenever she tied her hair back. Suffice to say, he was right. Kano, in the meantime, was seething. He had been afraid of this, that what he knew about Sonya and her family was now obsolete. He recognized the style as boxing. Second, her punches hurt. Cassie didn't know boxing back in Earthrealm. So what other tricks did she have up her sleeve?

The major advantage was that Cassie had unknown to Kano, opened a link to his mind, which explained why she was able to counter his attacks. No need for him to know that little detail.

While Cassie had taunted Kano earlier, her blue eyes were alight with fury as she glared at the bane of her family's existence for so many years.

Today was the moment of truth. Time to see if her training has finally paid off.

Vera's screams from Darren's memories still echoed in her head, along with Kano's taunts as he violated her.

 _"JAX! JACQUI! HELP ME!"_

 _"Yer husband and daughter can't help you now, Vera."_

Cassie pulled out a pair of gloves from her back pocket and slipped them on. They looked a lot like the ones her mother once wore before changing over to the gauntlets. Only these were weighted, liked her father's which meant extra punching power.

"Getting slow in your old age, Uncle Kano?" she taunted, the tone she used to address Kano as 'Uncle Kano' sounding a lot like 'Fuck You.' "I'm nearly 20 years younger than you and you haven't laid a finger on me."

Kano spat out some blood. "You got lucky," he replied. "You look just like your mother. I've been waiting for this."

"Oh, I bet you have," Cassie replied. "'Cause I've been wanting a piece of you myself."

"Wager you scream like her, too," Kano sneered.

"Your son is quite the screamer himself," Cassie replied, enjoying the look of anger on Kano's face.

Kano looked at Simon. "Who's he, the boyfriend?"

"He is. And one not to be underestimated."

"You should have warned him about me, then," Kano replied. "Where's my son, Cassie?"

"Darren? Oh, he's around...with Mom. See, she wasn't very happy with what you and Darren did to Aunt Vera. So she got her own pound of flesh from him. I haven't seen her this mad since you stole Shinnok's Amulet." As an afterthought, she added, "Jarek's dead, by the way."

That froze Kano mid-step. "You lie."

Cassie smirked, yet the eyes remained dangerous. Her father's smirk and her mother's eyes, Kano realized. "Dad and Liu Kang both did him in...and Dad got a nice little souvenir from your best friend." She interlaced her fingers and cracked them. "You seem upset, Kano. Is it because your pride and joy is enjoying my mother's company? Or is it that you found out that Raiden sold you and your gang out to the Red Dragon?" She chuckled darkly. "And here, I thought I was the gullible one when Raiden tricked me into killing Shujinko. It burns, doesn't it? Knowing that Raiden, of all people, fucked you over?"

Kano growled.

"But back to you," Cassie continued. "Jarek is dead, as is Tremor. Both you and Tasia are the last. The Kamidogu that were in Jarek and Tremor's possession have been confiscated. In fact, you probably got a Kamidogu on your person as well," deduced Cassie. "Plan on stabbing me with it and unleashing me on Mom?"

Of course she knew she had one. The Kamidogu was sheathed behind his back, tucked into his belt. That was his plan, after all. Well, one of them, just in case Mom and Dad proved to be a bit too troublesome. He wanted to watch with sadistic delight as Cassie tore apart her parents.

"We can do this the easy way...or the hard way," he threatened as he pulled out one of his oversized knives and began to toss it into the air. "Ladies' choice."

"Ooh...a toy. How cute," Cassie said. "I've seen better blades."

Kano took a moment to regard his knife. "Oh, this one has special meaning for me. This little baby brings back memories."

"Of what? Knifing your mama in the back?" Cassie sneered.

Kano grinned. "Nah...but it did put a big smile on your Aunt Vera." He placed the flat side of the blade from one side of his neck, and drew an imaginary line across. "Ear...to ear."

If Kano was looking to bait Cassie into attacking, then he was disappointed that she managed to keep her cool. "I gave your son the same choice. He chose to do things the hard way." She chuckled. "Darren talked big, but in the end...your son disappointed me. I wanted to play with him some more. But he cried like a little bitch after I kicked out several of his teeth. Then he screamed when Dad caved his nuts in. And that's not counting what Mom had done to him. Your pride and joy...begged for mercy. He begged." She then mimicked Darren, hands clasped in an exaggerated tone. "'Please...please, don't hurt me anymore! Mercy!'" She snickered.

That provoked a response from Kano. He let loose his blade, flinging it blade-first. But not at Cassie.

He threw it at Simon himself, Kano hoping that the distraction would leave Cassie exposed to his follow-up attacks.

He was most surprised to see that not only did Cassie not move, but that the blade slowed to a stop in mid-air, a perfect inch from Simon's face. Almost nonchalantly, Cassie plucked the knife out of the air.

Cassie smirked. "Better try a new trick, Kano, cause that one's getting old." She tossed the knife to the side. "Give up, and save me the trouble. I've studied all your moves."

"Yeah? Study this!" Kano retorted as he fired off his eye beam.

This time, Simon stepped into the way of the beam. Again, Kano was surprised to see that the superhero took his eye beam without blinking.

"Cute. But I've been hit harder than that," Simon said.

Kano's surprised look soon vanished as he felt his throat being squeezed by an inhuman force. Not even Sonya had squeezed his throat this hard when she tried to strangle him to death back inside the Refugee Camp. His other knife fell to the floor as he clawed at his throat, trying to breathe.

"Gack...grrk..." Kano gurgled.

Cassie's grin went even wider as Kano's face turned a nice shade of purple. "I'm sorry," she mocked as she stepped from behind Simon, "did you say something? Not so smug now, aren't ya? Telepathy and telekinesis are such fun mutant abilities to have. Now I see why Kenshi and Takeda like having such a skill."

Kano's eye widened.

"Imagine if I had these powers back in Earthrealm." She increased the pressure on Kano's neck. "Only difference is that I'm in a whole different league than those two. I can just as easily snap your neck and get off scot-free..."

"Kill...me...never...get your friends...back...from Raiden..." Kano managed to choke out.

Cassie feigned reluctance and released Kano. Of course Raiden wasn't going to hand over her friends. He would just as easily kill them out of spite.

Kano fell to his knees, taking in huge gulps of air. But his relief would be short-lived. As he got back to a vertical base, Cassie's grin went from evil to outright sadistic as she decided to go below the belt.

Kano's eye bugged out as he felt what it appeared to be a sledgehammer's worth of force slam down on his crotch. A strangled scream came from his gullet as he sank to his knees yet again. Veins began to pop out his neck as he tried to relive the pain by attempting to blast Cassie with his laser beam yet again.

Simon winced. He was thankful that he didn't piss Cassie off as much as this guy did.

"Now that," Cassie mused as the beam harmlessly deflected off the psionic shield, "was very rude."

She increased the pressure on Kano's crotch. He screamed even louder.

"Wow," Cassie noted, "you scream just as loud as your son."

"Pitch is off, though," Simon added.

Unknown to Kano, Cassie had been reading his mind. Several of his memories stood out.

Kano swearing fealty to Raiden on threat of death.

Kano and the Black Dragon's assault on Fort Charles, the headquarters of Earthrealm Strategic Defense, which led to him murdering General Flagg after Flagg had destroyed the portal room, setting the Black Dragon back which was followed by him claiming the base as his own.

Kano brutally training his son in the ways of the Black Dragon.

Raiden's plans for the realms.

The rape and murder of her beloved aunt, Vera Briggs.

She watched his memories, of how he had tortured her surrogate aunt, of how he raped her as she screamed for Jax and Jacqui to save her as he ravaged her.

Of how he slit her throat and left her to die in great pain.

Of how he gloated to Jax and Jacqui of her death, with her surrogate uncle and her best friend unable to do anything about it due to being under Raiden's control.

But Cassie remained cool...despite the fact that she could just as easily kill Vera's murderer.

As Cassie continued to torture Kano, she began to formulate a plan. It was one of her many talents she had inherited from her mother aside from her leadership skills. Taking a page out of Emma Frost's playbook regarding the Krav Maga instructor, she quietly absorbed Kano's knowledge in martial arts and knife fighting. She knew that Xing Yi and Akido were his styles of choice.

But she wasn't going to use his styles against him. She learned the styles in order to counter his attacks.

Despite the pain, he felt the Kamidogu placed into his belt being loosed, then freed. He was helpless as he watched as the sheathed weapon – still tainted with the Blood Code, floated over to Cassie's outstretched hand.

In his pain, he saw Sonya emerge from around the corridor, dragging along a bloodied a bruised Darren. One eye was swollen shut, his hands were tied behind his back, and he looked like he went twelve rounds with a bear and lost.

"Let him go, Cassandra." Sonya's voice cut through the rage that was building inside of her. "He's mine."

Cassie turned around and saw her mother with their hostage. "No. We take him at the same time," she said, not loosening her mental grip on Kano's crotch. "He had that on him," Cassie said, motioning to the Kamidogu, still hovering in the air.

Sonya gently grasped it by the handle and activated her headset. "Doctor Strange, do you read?"

"Loud and clear, Colonel," was the reply.

"Zero in on my location."

Within seconds, Strange appeared. "What is it you need, Colonel?"

Sonya handed Strange the Kamidogu. "Take this and place it inside my husband's office for safekeeping."

"This...tainted power...what is it?" Strange asked as he felt the cursed blade pulse as he took it in his hand.

"That is the Kamidogu," Cassie explained. "Don't let the blade cut you, unless you wish to go berserk from blood magik."

Strange nodded, and quickly departed. With the Kamidogu safely contained and out of Kano's reach, Cassie released Kano of the mental torture. She then created a quick mental link with her mother and after telling her of her plans, transferred Kano's martial arts knowledge to her.

Sonya liked the plan.

"I was hoping that Deadpool would kill you and save us the trouble of doing it," Sonya said.

"At least the money Dad paid him to soften him up was worth it," Cassie added. In a flash, both Desert Eagles were out; one pointed at Kano who was forced to stop mid-charge, and the second was aimed at Darren's head. "One reason, Kano. Actually, I got plenty of 'em to put a bullet in Junior's head. Consider your next move carefully."

Wisely, Kano backed off.

Sonya cocked her head. "That fight with Deadpool took a lot out of you, didn't it?" she asked. "Well, he did his part. I remember having to run through a gauntlet of Black Dragon thugs, right before you showed up and revealed yourself as the leader."

Kano froze. He did remember making Sonya run through the gauntlet, wearing her down so that she would be unable to put up much of a fight. Deadpool had proven to be quite a formidable opponent, even if he matched Mileena in insanity.

Funny how some memories that made him smile now seem to bite him in the ass.

Sonya turned to Simon. "Simon. Go and assist the others outside. This is our fight."

When Simon began to object, Cassie added, "Go. Now. We got this."

Simon nodded and rushed out of the building.

Sonya punched in a button on her gauntlet. Almost instantly, the building went into automatic lockdown. Steel bars slid down, blocking Kano's escape, should he need it.

"You should be fortunate that I decided to put some time aside for us," the Cage matriarch said. "We definitely need it. Almost 30 years of memories...pretty overwhelming, really. How many times have you taunted and tormented my family, and me? Plenty. But the top two is that you kidnapped my daughter and niece so that Havik can use them as bait. And I haven't forgotten that it was you who had stolen Shinnok's Amulet, which led to him being released."

"Now, it's payback time," Cassie said. "Two-on-one."

This time, Kano laughed. "You can't kill me. Neither you, yer mom or your idiot father! You have to take me in! You have to uphold the law!"

"Not this time, Kano," Sonya replied. "You see, no one here knows who you are save for the Avengers and the X-Men. All the public will see is nothing more than terrorists attacking Cage Incorporated. Had I still been in Earthrealm, then yes, I would have to take you in. But we're not in Earthrealm, aren't we?"

Kano's smirk faltered.

"I don't know, Mom," Cassie mused. "I think that he would rather be killed by Daegon instead of us. After all, that's what Raiden had planned for Kano all along, right?"

Sonya smirked. "At least Raiden doesn't trust him as far as he can throw him." To Kano, she asked, Did you really think that Raiden would actually forgive you for stealing Shinnok's Amulet, on top of all of the other crimes you've done? You'd have a better chance of begging forgiveness from Kotal Kahn."

"You and the Black Dragon are now expendable," Cassie said. "Sucks to be you. Raiden's merely biding his time until you've outlived your usefulness."

"But we're getting off the matter at hand," Sonya said. "Still don't believe that Cassie and I are serious in killing you? Fine." She then gave Cassie the following order. "Cassandra...show Kano what a .50 caliber round does to a human foot."

Without hesitation, Cassie adjusted her aim, shifting from Darren's head to his left foot, and pulled the trigger.

 **BLAM.**

Darren screamed as the round all but blew his appendage in half. Had it not been for Sonya's grip on him, then he would had fell to the ground.

"No! Wait! WAIT!" Kano shouted, hands held up in an attempt to stave off any further attempts from Cassie to maim his son. "STOP! Leave him alone!"

Cassie looked at Kano with a look that said, "Are you shitting me?"

"I don't think you're convinced yet, Kano," Sonya said. To Cassie, she said, "Right foot."

Cassie complied. She blasted off Darren's right foot. This time, Sonya allowed him to fall to the ground. Darren flopped around like a fish, bleeding profusely from his feet.

"NO, STOP!" Kano shouted. "Leave him alone! Dammit, leave him alone!"

Sonya tapped one finger on her chin. "Now what does this remind me of...?" She snapped her fingers. "That's right. After I was weakened by your men, you took me down quite easily. Then you brought out my partner. I begged for his life to be spared." In a saccharine tone, she asked, "Care to tell me what happened next, Kano?"

Kano hesitated.

Sonya sighed. She turned to her daughter. "Cassie, kill him."

Cassie aimed her handcannon at Darren's skull.

"I shot him, alright?! I killed your partner!" Kano shouted, which stayed Cassie's hand.

"On. Your. Knees," Cassie ordered. "Hands raised."

Kano complied with Cassie's demand. He got down to his knees, hands raised, the horrifying realization now clear. "No, Sonya, don't! Not my boy! It's me you want! It's always been me! He's got nothing to do with us!"

"My daughter and niece had nothing to do with us!" Sonya snarled. "And yet, you kidnapped them both! Your actions robbed me, my husband, and Jax of that peace of mind! Give me one good reason why I should show your son any type of mercy!"

"I'd say give it to him, Mom," Cassie suggested, all the while mentally suggesting something else to her. "Give him the mercy he so deserves."

Nearly thirty years of tormenting Sonya and her family has reached its limit, Kano realized. The fact that Cassie had blown off Darren's feet showed that they were serious.

In short, Kano realized that he had pushed them both to the breaking point. They were now willing to kill both him and Darren.

So he did what he did best: negotiate.

"Look...I was just following orders!" Kano defended as Sonya brought Darren back to his knees. "Okay...maybe I was outta line when I did what I did to Vera, okay?! We can deal! I know things! I know what Raiden is planning! I know the size of his forces, and which realms are on the chopping block! A trade, Sonya! Info for my son's freedom!"

"Not good enough," Sonya said, right before pulling out her garrote wire and wrapping it around Darren's neck. She began to strangle the life out of the boy.

"All right! ALL RIGHT!" Kano shouted. "I'll give up! I'll surrender! Just leave him alone!"

Sonya relented. "So...if you surrender, then your son walks...well, crawls free and you get a nice prison cell, and we know what Raiden is planning. Is that it, Kano?"

Kano nodded.

Sonya smirked as Cassie sent a mental message to her, saying that she already knew what Raiden's plans were for the realms. She turned to Darren and secured her garrote wire. "You see? Ever the businessman, your father," she said, trailing one finger along Darren's bare shoulder. He winced. "He likes to wheel and deal, trying to find the best deal that ends with him on top."

She looked down at the bound man, who had fear showing in his eyes. "You place all your hopes and dreams with your child...your offspring. Hoping that they will do better than you, and not make the same mistakes as you once did." She turned back to Kano. "Just as your father tried to do in trying to bargain with your life."

Kano's relief was short-lived as Sonya's intentions were now clear.

Sonya ran her fingers through Darren's hair. "Your assumed we had a deal. I didn't." She looked at Kano. "I told you once before, Kano. But it seems you forgot that little detail about me. I think that you needs to be reminded of that one specific detail."

"SONYA, NO!" Kano screamed as she grabbed Darren's head.

His pleas fell on deaf ears as Sonya violently twisted Darren's head to the side. Kano's scream could not drown out the sickening, meaty **SNAP** of Darren's neck breaking, followed by her flinging the now-dead son towards his father, the look of sadistic joy on her face.

Had Cassie looked at her mother, her sadistic grin would have reminded her of the moment that she ripped off Kintaro's head.

"I don't negotiate with scumbags," Sonya finished.

Kano screamed as he scrambled over to his son's corpse. "No..." he moaned as he cradled his son's body as tears began to run down his face. "Darren...my boy...my poor boy..." he sobbed. Looking at Sonya, that smirk on her face, he screamed out, "YOU SAID YOU'D SHOW MERCY!"

"And I did," Sonya replied, all the while Cassie holstered her firearms. "I gave him a quick death. More than what he deserved. You robbed Jax and Jacqui of Vera. I robbed you of your son. Fair trade."

Kano was reminded of the same memory that the roles had been reversed. Sonya had begged for mercy and rather than release him, he shot him in front of her.

 _"YOU BASTARD! YOU PROMISED TO SHOW HIM MERCY!"_

 _"And I did show him mercy, baby. I gave him a quick death."_

"No..." Kano whispered. "We're not square..."

' **Get ready,** ' Cassie said. ' **He's gonna lunge.** '

He looked at Sonya. "Fuck Raiden. I'M GONNA KILL THE BOTH OF YOU!"

Kano lunged...and screamed as an unbearable sharp pain pierced his brain, courtesy of Cassie Cage's mental attack.

It was the opening that Sonya needed as she nimbly dodged Kano's attacks...and Cassie's gloved fist landing flush on Kano's jaw in a vicious right hook.

The final chapter between the Cage family matriarch, her eldest daughter, and Kano was going to be written tonight.

The battle was on.


	18. 12: Skirmish at Cage Inc, Part 3

**Chapter Twelve: Skirmish at Cage Incorporated, Part Three**

Snafu's Notes: Okay, so this first battle will take place more than three chapters. The next chapter will be the conclusion, taking place from the numerous views of the X-Men and the Avengers, as well as the battle between Ravenna Cage and Tasia. Or I might work on the omake. Oh, and someone from the Exiled Kombatants will get kidnapped, thus setting the stage for the next event in the war.

Union Vale, New York – about eighteen years earlier...

Johnny Cage was troubled. This, Sonya knew. He couldn't hide anything from her, no matter how hard he tried. After all, she had married him before, and if there was one person that she knew even better than Kano, it was John Carlton. She had been married to the guy back in Earthrealm, and now, here they were, in an alternative version of Earth, having been forced to flee from their home.

Well, in Sonya's case, it was unwillingly, as she had been brainwashed by Raiden at the time.

Guilt was an emotion, a feeling that Sonya herself was quite familiar with. Being tricked by Kano, who deceived her into becoming her informant when the man himself turned out to be the leader of the Black Dragon, thus leading to her partner/fiance's death. Forcing Johnny into granting her the divorce and treating him like crap up until the fiasco with Shinnok being released. The No.1 spot was pushing their daughter away, sacrificing her childhood under the guise of 'keeping her safe.'

Given the Blood Code fiasco that had happened when Cassie and Jacqui were both eighteen, she had failed in that regard.

Sonya knew that Johnny felt guilty in being forced to leave their friends and loved ones behind. But it had been a no-win situation. Seven corrupted fighters plus one possibly insane thunder god were bad odds. And there was Cassie, still trying to cope with being tricked by Raiden into murdering Shujinko, and like her father, being forced to leave her team behind.

Sonya did, however, have some good news for her husband. All that she needed to do now was to find him.

Johnny Cage was easy to find. He was out on the backyard deck, seated at the outdoor table, sipping on a mug of coffee. He had went through his Tai Chi routine, and was just enjoying the morning air. It was the weekend, and both he and Sonya had the weekend off. Cassie was in her room, fast asleep, Johnny having picked her up from the Xavier Institute the previous night.

"I thought you'd be here," Sonya said as she emerged from the house, cup of coffee in her hand. "You are too easy, Johnny Cage."

Johnny chuckled as his wife sat down across from him. "From conceited and self-absorbed to easy. Coming from you, that's an improvement. Only took twenty-five years."

"Something's bothering you, Johnny," Sonya said. "And don't try to bullshit me."

Shrugging his shoulders, Johnny decided to come clean. "I've been reflecting on...well, everything. My life – our lives – turned out to be even more weirder and strange than some of my old movies. I don't miss being an actor. I guess in some ways, I still am one, being that acting as this tech-savvy genius could be considered role of a lifetime for me. I guess old habits die hard in my case. Ever since Mortal Kombat, my life went from complicated to...well, insane. I never expected to become a chosen warrior of Earthrealm, let alone its champion."

"I can safely say that I wasn't expecting that as well," Sonya conceded.

"I saw being Raiden's champion as my real job...not acting. Ever since that day on Shang Tsung's Island when we first met, our lives have been nothing but conflict and war. Against the other realms...against myself." He paused for a moment to take a sip of his coffee. "Were you ever curious about that two-week vacation that I took after we split the first time?"

"I was...but I thought you were out partying, celebrating your new bachelorhood," Sonya admitted.

Johnny shook his head. "I was in Seido, training my ass off. Hotaru can be a real slave driver if pushed. In a way, through our first divorce, I sought enlightenment. You couldn't tell, but I did find inner peace, which is why I wanted to try and at least be friends after we had split."

Sonya snorted. "Yeah. And I gave you so much grief even though I wanted the divorce and afterward."

"Raiden didn't ask me to be his champion after Liu died," Johnny confessed. "I volunteered."

Now Sonya was surprised.

"Being Raiden's point man was a burden, if anything else," Johnny explained. "If the otherworld threats don't kill you, Raiden's boring speeches will. Looking back now, seeing as I no longer have that job, it made me remember the full measure of that burden. Being an actor? Easy enough. Raising a kid and being a husband? A challenge. Being Earthrealm's champion? A lot easier when the pressure isn't all around you. When the coffee isn't hot." He paused to take a sip. "When you don't know first-hand the kind of people you're fighting for."

"You're afraid," Sonya said. Johnny nodded. "Afraid of what?"

"Failure," Johnny replied. "I failed in our first marriage, not to mention my other one. I have these powers from my bloodline, yet I didn't do anything when Sindel butchered our friends. And I failed our friends when Raiden corrupted them."

"That wasn't your fault, Johnny," Sonya said. "Jax once told me that in order to be a leader, you have to lose." She smiled sardonically. "I think it's safe to say that we all lost in one form or another."

"Some more than others," her husband replied. "Although I planned on retiring, I lost a career, you lost your command, and Cassie lost her team. But the fact that we lost our friends is a burden we all have to share. What bothers me is that we may be in this realm for a long time. Yao did mention that time flows by differently here than it does back in Earthrealm. And while everyone else thinks we're dead, I can bet my film collection that Raiden thinks otherwise. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about Liu and Kitana, as they both hate the walking lightning rod as much as we all do for what he's done."

"And what do you plan to do about Raiden if he comes here?" Sonya asked.

"I've been making long-term plans. First off, is that we build up the software firm into something much, much bigger. One that can rival even Stark Enterprises and Oscorp. Second...we train. We train ourselves, we train Cassie. As she's a mutant, she needs to work twice as hard. Face it, Sonya. Either we go back and confront Raiden...or he comes to us. Either way, this reunion is inevitable."

"A reunion that I for one, am not looking forward to," Sonya said. "But you do have a point, Cage. So what do you have in mind?"

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Well, since we've lost thirty years, I was thinking about training from the ground up. As you are no longer a General and bound by certain rules, you can afford to fight dirty. We tried to do things either by following the rules or acting honorably, and it nearly gotten us killed on separate occasions. Why fight under the honor code when the bad guys don't?"

Sonya saw that her husband had a point. "What about Liu and Kitana?"

"So long as there's an ocean separating the both of us, leave them to their own devices," Johnny replied. "If I know the Shaolin and the Princess, they'll be doing the same."

Sonya sighed. "Well...so when do we begin?"

Johnny thought about it for a moment. "Well, there's the Seidan physical and combat training. I can replicate that...but I gotta warn you, Sonya. It's brutal. It makes the various special forces' basic training look like a field trip. I did it, as did Cassie and her team."

"That bad, huh?"

"You'll probably be cursing my name when we're through."

"Before I do, I got something to tell you," Sonya said. "I'm pregnant."

* * *

Cage Incorporated, Now...

From his place on the rooftop of the main building, Shang Tsung watched as the battle raged on. He watched as Tremor had slain one of the heroes, of which he himself was slain in retaliation, his head destroyed.

With the deaths of Tremor and Jarek, only Kano and Tasia remained.

He watched as Liu Kang saved the life of a man wearing green-and-yellow, his face hidden by a yellow mask. Then he watched as Johnny Cage Shadow Kick-ed a Hand ninja in the throat, crushing his larynx. Kitana was fighting Mileena and Sonya and Cassie were having their final showdown against Kano.

Even if he had summoned a horde of Tarkarta to the battle, it wouldn't have helped in any shape or fashion. The battle was lost. Kano had underestimated the Cage family. Then again, so did Raiden. Johnny and his family had nineteen years to prepare, to make alliances.

And it showed.

Shang found this realm to be quite...fascinating, to say the least. People with extraordinary abilities and powers that could just as easily rival what Raiden and his forces can beckon to their call. People that can just as easily crush the might of Raiden.

But that is what Shang Tsung wanted.

Getting Raiden to retain his services was easy enough. The fact that the dark thunder god hated the fact that not only did Johnny Cage escape alongside his daughter, but that they have also taken Sonya with them. Shang had subtly played with Raiden's pride, promising him that he can track down his former champions.

Then, Shang discovered that Liu Kang and Kitana had gone missing. Well, not, missing, but kidnapped by Jade. The Emerald Assassin had surprised even Shang, as it was her bloodline who knew the secrets of cheating death. And given that she was Kitana's best friend and bodyguard, it was a foregone conclusion that Kitana and Liu would be revived.

Of course he told Raiden that Kitana and Liu were no longer in the Netherrealm, as that Jade had revived them both, thus adding more fuel to the fire. No way would the former Emperor and Empress would return to Raiden. So Raiden placed them in the category as the Cage family.

As for the remaining revenants...well, they had their own problems. Mainly Noob Saibot – formerly known as Bi-Han, codenamed Subzero – and the reformed Brotherhood of the Shadow. With Liu and Kitana no longer in charge of the Netherrealm, Noob made his own play for power.

It had been a merely harmless suggestion on his part to Bi-Han. Now, with the reformed Brotherhood of the Shadow attacking the revenants and keeping them occupied, it allowed Shang to focus on his plans.

But now, two of Kano's lieutenants were dead and the battle was clearly going in the favor of the exiled kombatants.

Shang couldn't help but to grin. 'It appears that Daegon may not kill Kano and his lieutenants after all,' he thought as he vanished into the shadows. While the outcome of the battle was clear, it was not over just yet. This realm proved to be quite fascinating with its assortment of heroes and villains.

* * *

With Sonya, Cassie, and Kano...

"SONYA, NO!"

Not even Kano's screams could completely drown out the sound of Darren's neck being broken, a look of vicious, sadistic glee on her face as she done the deed. Sonya then flung the body of her nemesis' son to Kano, who scrambled over to the dead boy.

"I don't negotiate with scumbags," Sonya finished.

Kano cradled the body of his son in his hands. "No...Darren...my boy...my poor boy..." he sobbed. Looking at Sonya, that smirk on her face, he screamed out, "YOU SAID YOU'D SHOW MERCY!"

"And I did. He didn't suffer," Sonya sniffed, while her daughter holstered her firearms. "You robbed Jax and Jacqui of Vera. I robbed you of your son. Fair trade."

'Huh. Would you look at that,' Cassie thought. 'The heartless bastard has a heart after all.'

"No..." Kano whispered. "We're not square..."

' **Get ready,** ' Cassie said. ' **He's gonna lunge.** '

He looked at Sonya. "Fuck Raiden. I'M GONNA KILL THE BOTH OF YOU!"

Kano lunged...and screamed as an unbearable sharp pain pierced his brain, courtesy of Cassie Cage and her mental attack.

It was the opening that Sonya needed as she nimbly dodged Kano's attacks...and Cassie's gloved fist landing flush on Kano's jaw in a vicious right hook.

The final chapter between the Cage family matriarch, her eldest daughter, and Kano was going to be written tonight.

The battle was on.

(Cue 'The Rooftop' from Mortal Kombat 3)

Kano would feel the effects of the near-crippling feedback attack from Cassie, allowing mother and daughter to take advantage.

In an ironic twist, Sonya realized that she and Cassie were trading off hits on Kano just as she and Johnny had done to the late Norman Osborn some years earlier. Maybe when this is all over, she and Cassie would share a laugh over that fact.

Cassie's feedback attack was very effective, consisting of Cassie sending a wave of near-crippling pain into the victim's skull. She had perfected it when Osborn had kidnapped her and Ravenna prior to the Asgard Siege, and had the Purple Man been alive to tell you its effectiveness, it was indeed a formidable weapon.

The effects were temporary, but Kano's head would be ringing for quite a bit. More than enough time for Sonya and Cassie to land some brutal attacks on Kano.

Kano, on the other hand, was in the fight of his life.

Despite having discovered that Raiden had thrown him and his clan into the eager jaws of the Red Dragon, Kano had tried to weasel his way out of responsibility for his past crimes.

Sonya responded by killing his son. Payback for his torture, rape and murder of Vera. Originally, Sonya had planned on killing Kano alongside his son in a two-on-two battle. The neck snap was an act of impulsiveness on her part, as she had been inspired by a line from one of Johnny's old movies:

"There are many ways one can kill a man. Flesh that can be torn asunder, bones than can splinter and shatter. But to destroy a man's spirit? That is how you truly destroy him!"

Kano destroyed her spirit when she killed her fiance/partner. He destroyed Jax and Jacqui's spirit when he killed Vera. All she did was merely returned the favor.

For Kano, that had been his first mistake: underestimating Sonya and her elder daughter. His second mistake? Believing that Sonya wouldn't kill his son.

They both had nineteen long years to hone their skills, as well as their teamwork. They were in no mood to hold back.

Kano found this out the hard way when Sonya and Cassie double-teamed him, the Black Dragon boss found himself-hard-pressed against their onslaught. Everything he knew about their fighting styles was thrown out the window. Even more infuriating was that Cassie herself was a mutant, and had no qualms about using her powers in this dance of death.

Whenever he managed to gain an advantage on either woman, Cassie would stun him by sending feedback into his brain, causing unspeakable pain. She was also smart enough to disarm him, his oversized knives out of reach, forcing him to rely on his eye beam and martial arts skills.

In short, Cassie was stopping him from gaining any type of momentum.

Second, he suspected that both mother and daughter had training in Xing Yi and Akido, which was how they both were able to counter his attacks, although some managed to get through. In truth, Cassie had a mind-link into his mind, which allowed her to telegraph his moves. While some of his attacks did manage to get through, mother and daughter kept up the pressure on Kano.

In the back of his mind, Kano wondered if maybe torturing Sonya for the past thirty years was a bad idea. With the truth that Raiden had pretty much sold him out to the Red Dragon, Kano had to come to the horrifying realization that he was now fighting for his life.

Either Daegon would kill him, or Sonya and her daughter would. Either way, he was a dead man, whether or not he returned to Earthrealm.

But he would go down fighting. But both Sonya and Cassie were making him work for the win.

Sonya and Cassie, in the meantime, were thankful of Johnny's barbaric training methods, of which he had picked up from during his time in Seido...despite the fact that both women had openly cursed him for making the both of them undergo the training from Hell.

After nineteen years on this planet and dealing with villains and martial artists that could just as easily turn Kano into a red smear, Kano was no challenge.

But that didn't make him any less of a threat. Sonya knew just how dangerous the Black Dragon boss can be when back into a corner, just as she had done by killing his son. The Australian-born mercenary was a sadist, playing with his targets. But when he got serious, that was when Kano became truly dangerous. Letting one's guard down against someone of Kano's caliber was for lack of a better term, lethal.

But deep down, Sonya had expected more out of Kano. He had given her the fight of her life back in Earthrealm when he threatened to harm Cassie. But after fighting the likes of Ms. Marvel, Captain America and even Kitty Pryde, she was disappointed.

"Come on!" Sonya taunted. "Can't you do better than that?!"

She got a response when Kano grabbed her and slammed her into the floor with an Akido throw. However, Sonya quickly recovered, gettint to her kness and slamming her elbow into the back of Kano's knee. He kicked the Cage matriarch away and got back to his feet, just in time for Cassie to slam her knee into his chest, her body covered in green energy - the same energy that had been instrumental in defeating Shinnok's corrupted form nineteen years earlier.

Kano felt his breastplate crack from the impact.

Cassie swatted Kano's jab and he blocked her backhand. When Kano tried to elbow her in the face, Cassie blocked it, and rabbit-punched Kano in the throat, forcing him back. Cassie went on the offensive, throwing out straight punches at Kano, who parried them, as blocking one of them nearly broke his arm, and landed a double punch to Cassie's breastplate, forcing her back.

He attempted to blast Cassie with the eye beam, but much to his shock, the green halo protected her.

Sonya then charged in, and ducked under Kano's haymaker. He parried her front snap kick, to which Sonya blocked his kick aimed at her face. Kano ducked to avoid the roundhouse from Cassie, but that left him open for a vicious combo from Sonya; a vicious right hook to his jaw which stunned him, followed by a hard kick to the torso, breaking several more of his ribs, a booted foot to his face, which was followed by a spinning back kick that knocked him down.

When Kano tried to counterattack, Cassie stunned him with a skull-splitting feedback attack, leaving him open for Sonya and her barrage of attacks. Several body blows to the torso, followed by another punch to the face and a backhand. Then she leapt into the air for a spinning back kick, attempting to strike Kano with her left foot.

Kano ducked under that, but as he was rising, and while Sonya was falling, her right foot lashed out, striking Kano in the jaw. This was followed up by Cassie performing the Shadow Kick, knocking him on his ass.

Now Cassie was on the attack, using her martial arts skills and her telepathy and telekinesis to assault the man who has been a thorn in her family's side for so many years. Kano blocked the fire extinguisher that Cassie had flung at him. Then, she was inside his guard yet again. He blocked several of his jabs, before slamming his faceplate into her skull, stunning her (and breaking the mind link).

His hands found his way to her throat, and he began to squeeze. However, Kano himself would be screaming in pain once again as Cassie dug into his eye with her thumb, forcing him to release her, thus allowing Sonya to step in with something that Kano himself wasn't expecting.

Sonya ducked, legs extended into a perfect split. Then she slammed her left fist into Kano's crotch, causing him to double over in pain. Getting back to her feet, she attempted to use her garrote wire, but was sent flying into a table when Kano slammed into her with his Cannonball.

With Sonya stunned, Kano turned to Cassie. However, Cassie, having long since reached the breaking point with Kano, effectively stopped him in his tracks when she began to strangle him once again. Then, she used her telepathy to bounce him off the floor several times before flinging him to the ground.

"Oh, no you don't," Cassie muttered as Kano tried to scramble away, in order to gain some distance between himself and the telepath.

Kano found himself slamming into the floor once again. Then he was lifted and flung back-first towards Cassie. He felt her arms wrap around his waist, hands locked together, and using the momentum from her telekinesis, Cassie arched her body backwards, and planted Kano headfirst into the floor via a vicious, text-book perfect German suplex.

Sonya recovered just in time to see Kano getting head-planted into the floor. Cassie was on top of Kano, punching him in the face repeatedly, before her strong hands found his way to his neck, strangling the life out of him, the green halo fading from her body. "Come on, Kano. Die for me," she hissed, her irises going from blue to red. "Just give up and die for me."

Seeing that the green halo was gone, Kano, in desperation, fired his eye beam, of which Cassie dodged by rolling off of him. Kano attempted to capitalize, but Cassie had telegraphed the kick to her jaw, catching his leg with her hand. This was followed by something that like Sonya performing her husband's Nutcracker, Kano didn't see this coming. Cassie reached behind her back, unsheathing her S-F issued KA-BAR combat knife, and slashed Kano's kneecap to the bone, making Kano cry out in pain. Before she could follow through with stabbing Kano in the leg, his eye beam had caught Cassie in the shoulder, forcing her to release him. The blast hurt like crap, as Kano wasn't using his full power, but it did leave an angry red mark on her shoulder.

As Kano stumbled backward, trying to get some distance, Sonya was upon him yet again. Kano attempted to blast her with his eye laser, but Sonya had activated the energy shield, thus absorbing the laser attack. Having enough of that damned eye beam, she then countered by firing a single shot into Kano's faceplate, destroying the cybernetic eye.

The feedback from having his eye destroyed had hurt even more worse than Cassie's mental attack on his crotch. His torso exposed, Sonya went low and began to punch him in the ribs repeatedly, striking Kano ten times in the space of five seconds, breaking several more of his ribs. The hard punch to his face made blood pool into his mouth.

Cassie was there to greet him as Kano stumbled in her direction. She dove into a handstand, her muscular legs wrapping around Kano's neck. But instead of following through with her mother's signature Leg Grab, Cassie flipped the upper half of her body up, and began to drive her elbow into Kano's skull. Once, twice, three times, before flinging him across the lobby.

Cassie saw that she had landed beside Kano's massive Bowie Knife. She kicked it over to her mother, who stopped it with her foot and picked it up.

With Kano's oversized knife in her hand, she walked over to Kano and planted one booted foot into his jaw, stunning him. She then followed through by stabbing him in the upper leg, and yanked down hard on the knife, slicing through the leg's muscle. And to ensure that he wouldn't be able to stand, she stomped on his ankle several times until it broke, his screams music to her and Cassie's ears.

He screamed even louder when Cassie brandished one of her Desert Eagles and rendered his right hand useless with several rounds.

Kano knew that he was finished. He would die at the hands of his most hated enemy and her daughter.

"Would you look at that," Sonya taunted. "Kano does scream like his son."

"Not so tough now, are ya?" Cassie taunted. "You little bitch. You're done, Kano."

Kano raised his remaining good hand. "No...no more! Mercy! I surrender! Please...! I'm...I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Oh, I know you are, Kano," Sonya said. Then she slammed one booted foot down on his shattered ankle. Kano screamed even louder. "But...let's pretend you're not!" She then twisted her heel, making Kano scream even louder. "You should had stayed in Earthrealm kissing Raiden's ass. Now...you're gonna die here, far from home."

For the first time in his life, Kano felt an emotion that he had inflicted on many of his past victims.

Fear.

Sonya slammed her foot down on Kano's destroyed ankle yet again. Kano screamed again. "That's for my partner!"

Another stomp to his already-injured knee, breaking it. "That's for kidnapping my daughter and Jacqui!"

A third stomp was directed to his crotch. "That's for what you and your son did to Vera!"

A fourth stomp to the torso broke several more ribs. "That's for Flagg!"

The hard boot to the jaw nearly broke it. "And that's for fucking with my family!"

Kano whimpered in pain. Had he not be in such pain, he could at least say that being on the receiving end of torture was no fun. Not at all. But he did, however, manage to mumble out, "Please...don't kill me..."

"I'm not going to kill you, Kano," Sonya said. "But you will learn one valuable lesson before you die: Don't Fuck With A Cage." She turned to Cassie. "Finish him."

Kano knew that he was going to die. And at the hands of his victims-turned-enemies. To add insult to injury, Sonya wasn't going to kill him. Cassandra Cage was to be his executioner. With a groan, he turned and crawled away, a trail of blood staining the floor from his destroyed leg.

"No..." Kano moaned as Cassie calmly walked after him. "Go...away!"

"..." Cassie was silent.

"STAY AWAY!" Kano screamed.

Having heard enough of Kano's begging and his attempts to get away from the both of them, Cassie ensnared him and brought him back to her with her telekinesis.

Placing one hand on his forehead, Cassie's eyes went blood red once again. " **Look into my eyes...and count your sins!** "

Kano looked into Cassie's eyes. Kano trembled. Then, Kano screamed.

He screamed even louder than Sonya could ever thought he could scream. A scream of fear. A scream of anguish. A scream of pain.

Using the powers of the Phoenix, Cassie forced Kano to relive every single past crime that he had committed. And Kano had forty years' worth crimes under his belt – the lives he destroyed, the men he killed, the women he raped and tortured. The only difference is that he was experiencing the events from the victims' point of view.

Only this time, the effects were amplified a hundred fold.

It had only been six seconds, but for Kano, the torment seem to last forever as Cassie forced him to relive his victims'

torment, amping up her power, each time making it worse.

With a strangled cry, Kano went silent. The damage done, Cassie released Kano, her eyes returning to normal.

('The Rooftop' ends)

Sonya and Cassie looked at the bleeding, twitching mess that was Kano. His eye was rolled into the back of his head and there was foam coming out of his mouth, his death rattle escaping from his lips. A damp spot appeared between his legs, which was accompanied by a foul stench. Kano had voided his bowels.

"What did you do to him?" Sonya asked.

"You know the Penance Stare that the Rider uses?" Cassie asked. When her mother nodded, Cassie continued, "I used the Phoenix equivalent of it, and forced Kano to endure all of the pain he had inflicted on his many victims...only I amplified it to the point that it killed him and destroyed his soul."

"Nice," Sonya said.

Cassie smirked. "Aw, damn. Wait a sec. I don't think he's dead, Mom." She pulled out both her Desert Eagles and extended one of them to Sonya. "Better check for a pulse," she added. "Only way to be sure."

Sonya returned the smirk, having gotten use to her daughter's dark sense of humor and accepted the firearm. Mother and daughter both took aim and fired repeatedly until their clips were spent; Cassie destroying Kano's head, leaving only the mangle remains of his jaw, while Sonya destroyed the cybernetic heart and his lungs.

"Huh. No pulse," Sonya said, feeling a sense of relief. Her longtime enemy was dead. Her former partner and Vera were avenged. Sonya could not help but to notice the irony of the situation. It had been Cassie who had killed the Black Dragon leader, while she killed the son. "Burn the bodies. I want nothing to remain of both men."

Cassie nodded. Two balls of cosmic fire blossomed into her hands. The first, she tossed at Darren's corpse, the second, at Kano. Both bodies were reduced to ash, Kano's cybernetic implants reduced to nothing more than slag.

It was finally over.

"You know," Cassie mused, "when we look back on this years from now, we're gonna remember this moment quite differently."

Sonya looked at her daughter. "How so?"

"Given your beef with Kano, me killing him will be the most important day of your life."

"And what will it be for you?" asked Sonya as she bent down and picked up both of Kano's knives. Battle trophies for her victory over her longtime foe.

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "Given what I go through both as a mutant and under your command on a daily basis...for me, it was Tuesday."

"One thing's for sure," Sonya said as mother and daughter returned to the fray, "Who's gonna be more pissed? Raiden or Daegon?"

Cassie smirked. "I'd put my trust fund on Daegon."

* * *

Overhead on the second floor balcony...

'My my,' Shang Tsung thought as both Cassie and Sonya rushed out of the building to join in the battle that was still raging outside. 'You are turning out to be quite interesting, Cassandra Cage.'

The demon sorcerer had watched the two-on-one fight from his place on the second-floor. He knew full well of Sonya's hatred towards Kano, and from what he learned from Raiden, Kano had dragged her and Johnny's daughter into the feud when he kidnapped both her and Jax's daughter some years before the fiasco with Shinnok's Amulet.

Oh, the irony, he realized. Kano was slain by the daughter while his son was killed by the mother. He could almost imagine the reaction from Daegon when he realizes that Kano is dead, slain by Cassie herself.

'And the fact that she has the power of telekinesis, just like Ermac, Kenshi and his son...' Shang mused mentally, 'only hers is more potent than Kenshi and Takeda's own. And she wields the hellfire...no, it's not hellfire. It's more...potent, more intense.'

Shang hopped down to the second floor, where he walked over to the remains of Kano and his son. No soul, Shang realized, meaning that Cassie had obliterated it when she killed him. He brushed the ash pile with his boot, while kicking away what was Kano's cybernetics.

Much to Shang's delight, this realm was proving to be quite fascinating. Such a shame that Raiden would have to order its annihilation. 'So many with such...unique abilities,' he thought. 'So many with strong souls to absorb.' He played back the battle between Kano, Sonya and her daughter. 'Cassandra has become strong," Shang noted. 'Strong indeed. I wonder how her sister measures up to her.'

Of course, Shang had his own plans for Cassie, of which those that doesn't coincide- with Raiden's own. He would gain his apprentice in Illyana Rasputin, while he would transform Cassie into an instrument of death. One that would dwarf even Shao Kahn in his prime.

And if she refused, then Cassie would endure the same fate as Elektra. The same fate he had in store for Liu Kang and Kitana. For Shang, it would be a fitting end for Cassie, her soul absorbed into his body.

* * *

With Tasia...

The bodies of the Black Dragon and Hand ninja left in various positions of death; some missing limbs via a razor-sharp blade, others with their bodies twisted in unnatural angles, some of which were embedded in the walls of the corridor.

While Tasia knew plenty about Cassie Cage (as she and Jarek did kidnap both her and Jacqui in the past), Ravenna Cage was something of an enigma. All she and the Black Dragon knew was that not only was Ravenna the heir apprent to Cage Incorporated, but she was also into martial arts and swordplay.

Aside from that, nothing.

Until now.

Tasia was also a skilled tracker aside from being the Black Dragon's top swordswoman and kunoichi. The bodies of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the T.R.U. left in her wake could attest to her skills as a killer. But she had to admit that the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives and Sonya's T.R.U. were not making it easy for her. For one of their number slain, she lost three of her own.

Now, she was the last as she followed the bloodied and mangled corpses of her comrades. While she was upset over the loss of her fellow Black Dragons (the Hand, not as much, as they were a means to an end), Tasia could not help but to admire the carnage left behind by Ravenna.

'She has some skill,' the swordswoman thought. 'No. Rephrase.' She looked at the body of one of the Black Dragons. 'No wasted movement. Her attacks are direct and precise. Very professional.' A quick inspection showed even more information about her quarry. 'She went for the vital spots...quick and clean. These guys were some of the best that the organization had to offer, and she killed them in seconds. This woman has been trained by assassins.' A small smile ghosted across her face. 'Either she can become the apprentice that I seek...or she is a woman worth killing.'

That is, if she can give the S.H.I.E.L.D. and T.R.U. forces the slip.

She tried to hail Kano and Tremor from her earpiece. No response. Now, she was starting to get worried as she reached the second floor. From what she knew about the compound from recon, all of the buildings were designed the same, with the second floor covering three-quarters of the area.

Said area that was littered with even more bodies of Hand ninja.

It was this distraction that cost Tasia.

The older woman froze mid-step when she felt the cold kiss of a blade resting on her throat. Tasia dared not to turn her head, as she felt that the blade was razor-sharp, and that one bad move could end up with her having her carotid severed.

"Life's end. Isn't it beautiful? It's almost tragic," a female voice said from her left, the obvious owner of the sword. When life ends, it gives off a final, lingering aroma. Light is but a farewell to those on the way to die."

Acting as fast, Tasia swatted the blade away with her ninjato, and went on the attack. Sparks kicked off her blades as her opponent calmly deflected Tasia's attacks, before a hard kick to the older woman's chest knocked her back.

Tasia looked at her opponent. She looked a lot like Cassie Cage and just as tall, save that her hair was as dark as her father's with the front bangs dyed racecar red, and tied back. Blood stained her clothing; a sleeveless gray shirt, black pants and tennis shoes.

Tasia also took notice of the weapon. It was an O-katana, and being a weaponsmaster herself, she can tell that the blade was expertly crafted. The bodies of the Black Dragons and Hand ninjas could attest to that. There was also an inscription on the blade, written in Japanese kanji, which read, 'Praised be the order brought forth from the very edge of chaos.'

"Ravenna Cage, I presume?" Tasia asked as the two women circled.

"Good assumption," Ravenna replied. "You must be Tasia. Cassie told me about you."

"That I am," Tasia replied. "The Black Dragon requests your presence."

Ravenna scoffed. "You mean Lord Raiden," she replied, pronouncing both the title and the name with sarcasm. "Then again, he only wanted Cassie before you and your buddies found out that Cassie wasn't the only child."

"Be that as it may," Tasia said, "Lord Raiden will be very interested to see that your parents are not only dealt with, but that both you and Cassandra are brought back to him. Whether or not in one piece is up to you."

Ravenna chuckled. "You honestly are in no position to be making demands of me, Tasia. After all, you're the last of the Black Dragon alive."

Tasia's eye narrowed. "Stalling for time will not work on me, Cage."

"Who says I'm stalling?" Ravenna demanded. "Let's do a head count, shall we?" She held up one finger. "Tremor? Dead." The middle finger joined the second. "Jarek? Dead." Two more joined the other two. "Kano and his son? Both dead. You're the last."

"You lie."

Ravenna smirked. "Really? I can even tell you how they died, if you're curious. Jarek was the first to go. Dad and Liu Kang both did him in when he went Blood Code. Speaking of that..."

Ravenna extended her hand. Tasia felt the sheathed Kamidogu being removed from the small of her back. She watched as the enchanted dagger - tainted with the Blood Code, float into Ravenna's hand.

"You won't be needing this," Ravenna said as she sent a mental message to Magik. Seconds later, a stepping disk appeared and Magik emerged. Without a word, she accepted the Kamidogu, along with Ravenna's mental orders to drop the weapon off at her father's office for safekeeping.

After Magik departed, Ravenna continued on with her description. "Now where was I...oh, right. Tremor was the next to die. He was made shorter by the height of his head by Wolverine himself. And last, but not least...Kano and his bastard." The smirk then went sinister. "Oh, the irony. Mom snapped Darren's neck like a twig while my big sis killed Kano." She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. Better to die by Cassie's hand than by Daegon's."

"What?"

Ravenna smiled meanly. "For all his talents, Kano didn't see this coming. Raiden merely embraced the Black Dragon...just so he can drive the blade deeper. The backstabber gets stabbed in the back. Kinda fitting. Mom witnessed the meeting after Raiden corrupted her. The Red Dragon is in cahoots with Raiden. The price for Daegon's loyalty? Kano and the Black Dragon."

Now, the normally composed Tasia was angry.

"Raiden just sent you guys on a suicide mission," Ravenna simplified. "If you actually succeeded in your mission, then Raiden would sic the Red Dragon on you. Then again, I'd be pissed if I was Daegon if I found out that your most hated enemy was killed by said most enemy's hated nemesis."

Tasia took a moment to slowly digest what she was told. Kano and the others were dead. There was no lying in the girl. She was telling the truth. Raiden had betrayed them all, and her friends were dead.

"You're the last of the old guard," Ravenna said. "The Black Dragon is finished. And since you've been chasing after me ever since this battle has started, might as well give you want you want." She shifted into a ready stance. "Want a shot at the title?"

"This will be a battle to the death," Tasia replied as she readied her ninjato. She took notice of the numerous nicks in the previously flawless blade. "See how Johnny likes the role of a grieving father."

"You will try," Ravenna said. "Give me the fight of my life, Tasia."

"You will regret those words, child."

For a brief moment, the two women didn't move a muscle. Then, they charged.


	19. OMAKE! Alt End To The Rivalry With Kano

**OMAKE: AN ALTERNATIVE END TO SONYA AND CASSIE'S RIVALRY WITH KANO**

Snafu's Notes: This was the original copy as to how Kano met his fate. But after talking it over with some of my acquaintances, I scrapped this part and rewrote the scene in which Cassie and Sonya double-team Kano instead. After reading this, you'd think that Kano got off light in the actual chapter.

With Cassie...

Aside from the Desert Eagles, Cassandra Cage also had a pair of secondary firearms. She had a fondness for the Glock semi-automatic handguns, as she wielded a pair back in Earthrealm. They were S-F issued, much to her dismay, but she was skilled enough to use both at once.

When Cassie graduated from officers' candidate school, she had purchased the dual Desert Eagles for herself. Inscribed on the barrels of her handcannons was the phrase 'Praised be the order brought forth from the very edge of chaos," which was the motto of the Seidan Guard.

Her backup pistols - a pair of Glock 21 Generation 4s - were standard-issue firearms for military officers. Back in Earthrealm, she once lamented about how tough it was being the general's daughter due to Sonya's demanding nature. Now, as an officer, she saw that it has it perks.

But Cassie didn't let it go to her head. Like her father, while she was quick with a witty reply, she was more older and somber. Being forced to flee from your home realm and leaving your teammates behind - one of which considered to be her sister in all but blood - tends to have that effect on a person.

When the skirmish began, both her and Ravenna were inside the lab. The girls then split, Ravenna gunning after Tasia, her Adamantium-forged O-katana in her hand, accompanied by Hope and Magik. After arming herself with her handcannons and her backup firearms, now secured in the custom-made back holsters similar to that she had back in Earthrealm, with her Desert Eagles secured in her hip holsters, the KA-BAR hidden in her boot, Cassie was ready for a fight.

Her blood pumping, Cassie used her firearms, her mutant powers and her martial arts abilities to leave a trail of bloodied and broken bodies, Black Dragon and Hand alike. The anger of leaving her friend behind at the mercy of a man she once admired...the rage she felt towards Kano and his son for what they had done to a woman whom Cassie considered to be an Aunt in all but blood...

The anger was her friend. It made her focus. It also helped her forget about her nightmares in regards to Shujinko.

"Keep the heart hot as Scorpion's flames, but the mind cool as Subzero's Kori powers," was a phrase that her mother was fond of saying to her when she was training her.

As Cassie neared the doors leading to the lobby, her father had reported in. Jarek was dead, and the Kamidogu that Jarek had on his person was in his possession.

Upon entering the lobby from a side door, she was greeted with the sight of a single Hand ninja. Cassie didn't hesitate.

(Cue 'Library Fight' from Ultraviolet)

Ducking under the shuriken thrown in her direction, Cassie's fist smashed into the ninja's trachea. As the ninja collapsed to the ground, dying from his injury, a squad of Hand ninja came charging through the side corridors...

...and was promptly riddled with the dead Hand ninja's stash of kunai and shuriken, thanks to Cassie's telekinesis.

But Cassie's night was just beginning, as a squad of Black Dragon thugs came charging through the main entrance, as well as the side corridors.

Cassie's hands reached for the dual Glocks. Each gun was loaded with a ten-round-clip, the ammo used being .45 armor-piercing ACP rounds. Twenty rounds in total. In a smooth, fluid motion, Cassie had the guns in her hands.

 **BLAM. BLAM.**

The first two standing in front of her fell to the ground, the rounds destroying their hearts.

'Eighteen,' Cassie thought, mentally counting down the bullets she had left in her gun.

From the side corridors, four more Black Dragons fell, this time from headshots; two from the left, and two from the right.

'Fourteen,' Cassie thought as she continued to advance. She leapt in the air, her body spinning in a butterfly twist, planting two more rounds into two more thugs that tried to sneak in from behind.

'Twelve.'

Landing on her feet, Cassie spun, lowering herself to the floor, dodging the knives thrown at her, while at the same time, letting loose with four more shots, which left four more bodies.

'Eight.'

Cassie spun again, firing off six rounds; four at the Black Dragons trying to flank her, the two going through the eye of the two Black Dragon in front of her.

'Two.'

The last two rounds were for the two Black Dragons that tried to get the jump on her from the second-floor balcony overlooking the first floor lobby.

('Library Fight' ends here.)

The slides in her handgun were locked back, showing that she was out of ammo.

'Zero.'

Cassie looked around at the carnage. No one was alive. She hated to kill, but as a soldier, she had to get her hands dirty once in a while. It was a miracle in itself that she wasn't a sociopath with her assortment of problems.

Cassie ejected the spent clips and reloaded.

"Very impressive, Cassandra," Kitana noted as she emerged from the corridor, having watched Cassie gun down the Black Dragons. "You've improved. But firearms are so uncivilized."

"You didn't come all this way to critique my skills," Cassie replied.

"True. I seem to have lost Mileena's trail," Kitana admitted.

"She's here too?" Cassie sighed. "Some days, I feel like I'm getting too old for this shit."

Kitana ruefully smiled behind her mask. "Try living as long as I have, child."

As Cassie holstered her firearms, her instincts told her to move. Not to turn around, but to move. And after twenty-plus years, she trusted her instincts more than anything. First, she shoved Kitana out of the way, which was followed by her taking one step to the left, a side-step...

...just as Kano flew by, body tucked tight into a ball. He had escaped Deadpool and arrived on the second floor, where he watched Cassie decimate the Hand and the Black Dragon. Kano waited for Cassie to be distracted in order to strike.

Kano was most surprised when he did not slam into Cassie's back, having jumped from the second-floor landing overlooking the lobby.

He landed on the floor and spun around. He was most surprised to see that Kitana stood alongside his son's kidnapper, as he recognized her by her bladed fans that were in her hands.

It was that distraction that cost him, as Cassie moved inside his guard, giving Kitana a mental order not to interfere. Cassie was faster. Much faster, Kano realized. The body blow had some serious power behind it. Judging that green sparks had kicked off from the impact, Cassie was using her shadow powers for an added boost in power. This was followed by a punch to the face that bloodied his nose. The two more to the face rattled his teeth.

The triple punch combo: left jab, right jab, uppercut, knocked him back several steps.

Recovering quickly, Kano counterattacks with a right cross, but Cassie ducked under it and landed a power punch into his torso. The blow to the jaw made his face hurt even more. Another punch to the gut followed by a blow to the face, and several more to the ribcage, cracking – if not breaking – more of his ribs.

Cassie threw out a punch, but Kano caught her wrist. He then went for an Akido throw. But instead of slamming onto the pavement, Cassie landed on her feet after performing a somersault, and reversed the hold with one of her own. Kano ended up flat on his back. He rolled out of the way in order to avoid Cassie's foot stomping his face in.

With a roar, Kano lunged, but grabbed nothing. He instead, got Cassie's booted feet into his chin, as Cassie hopped back, landing on her shoulders. She then finished off the suicide kip-up by landing on her feet, while Kano shook off the attack.

Cassie was on the attack, throwing out several jabs, of which Kano dodged. Then Kano felt the air forced out of his lungs by a straight punch to the breastplate.

Cassie went low, unleashing a five-hit combo, striking at his knees and lower legs while on her knees, which was followed by a straight punch to the groin. The Shadow Kick knocked Kano back several feet. He got back to his feet, furious over that he was unable to land a single blow.

The two kombatants faced off, Kano wiping the blood from his nose, while Cassie tied her hair back into a bun.

Her father had always joked that she would always get serious whenever she tied her hair back. Suffice to say, he was right. Kano, in the meantime, was seething. He had been afraid of this, that what he knew about Sonya and her family was now obsolete. He recognized the style as boxing. Second, her punches hurt. Cassie didn't know boxing back in Earthrealm. So what other tricks did she have up her sleeve?

The major advantage was that Cassie had unknown to Kano, opened a link to his mind, which explained why she was able to counter his attacks. No need for him to know that little detail.

While Cassie had taunted Kano earlier, her blue eyes were alight with fury as she glared at the bane of her family's existence for so many years.

Today was the moment of truth. Time to see if her training has finally paid off.

Vera's screams from Darren's memories still echoed in her head, along with Kano's taunts as he violated her.

 _"JAX! JACQUI! HELP ME!"_

 _"Yer husband and daughter can't help you now, Vera."_

Cassie pulled out a pair of gloves from her back pocket and slipped them on. They looked a lot like the ones her mother once wore before changing over to the gauntlets. Only these were weighted, liked her father's which meant extra punching power.

"Getting slow in your old age, Uncle Kano?" she taunted, the tone she used to address Kano as 'Uncle Kano' sounding a lot like 'Fuck You.' "I'm nearly 20 years older than you and you haven't laid a finger on me."

Kano spat out some blood. "You got lucky," he replied. "You look just like your mother. I've been waiting for this."

"Oh, I bet you have," Cassie replied. "'Cause I've been wanting a piece of you myself."

"Wager you scream like her, too," Kano sneered. He looked at Kitana. "And you brought Quan Chi's bedwarmer to the party as well."

"And here I thought that Cassandra's father had such an insolent tongue," Kitana sneered.

"Your son is quite the screamer himself," Cassie replied, enjoying the look of anger on Kano's face.

"Where's my son, Cassie?" Kano demanded.

"Darren? Oh, he's around...with Aunt Sonya. See, she wasn't very happy with what you and Darren did to Aunt Vera. So she got her own pound of flesh from him. I haven't seen her this mad since you stole Shinnok's Amulet." As an afterthought, she added, "Jarek's dead, by the way."

That froze Kano mid-step. "You lie."

Cassie smirked, yet the eyes remained dangerous. Her father's smirk and her mother's eyes, Kano realized. "Dad and Liu Kang both did him in...and Dad got a nice little souvenir from your best friend." She interlaced her fingers and cracked them. "You seem upset, Kano." She snapped her fingers. "Oh, right. You found out that Raiden sold you and your gang out to the Red Dragon." She chuckled darkly. "And here, I thought I was the gullible one when Raiden tricked me into killing Shujinko. It burns, doesn't it? Knowing that Raiden, of all people, fucked you over."

Kano growled.

"But back to you," Cassie continued. "Jarek is dead, as is Tremor. Both you and Tasia are the last. The Kamidogu that were in Jarek and Tremor's possession have been confiscated. In fact, you probably got a Kamidogu on your person as well," deduced Cassie. "Plan on stabbing me with it and unleashing me on Mom?"

Of course she knew she had one. The Kamidogu was sheathed behind his back, tucked into his belt. That was his plan, after all. Well, one of them, just in case Mom and Dad proved to be a bit too troublesome. He wanted to watch with sadistic delight as Cassie tore apart her parents.

"We can do this the easy way...or the hard way," he threatened as he pulled out one of his oversized knives and began to toss it into the air. "Ladies' choice."

"I told your son the same thing," Cassie said. "He wanted to do things the hard way." She chuckled. "Darren talked big, but in the end...your son disappointed me. I wanted to play with him some more. But he cried like a little bitch after I broke his jaw. Then he screamed when Dad caved his nuts in. And that's not counting what Mom had done to him. Your pride and joy...begged for mercy. He begged." She then mimicked Darren, hands clasped in an exaggerated tone. "'Please...please, don't hurt me anymore! Mercy!'" She snickered.

That provoked a response. Kano flung his knife blade-first. But he wasn't aiming at Cassie.

The knife sailed towards Kitana, Kano hoping that the distraction would leave both women exposed to his follow-up attacks.

He was most surprised to see that not only did Cassie not move, but that the blade slowed to a stop in mid-air, a perfect inch from Kitana's face, the Edenian-born assassin knowing full well of Cassie's talents as a mutant. Almost nonchalantly, Cassie plucked the knife out of the air.

Kano, for lack of a better term, was flabbergasted.

Cassie smirked. "Better try a new trick, Kano, cause that one's getting old." She tossed the knife to the side. "Give up, and save me the trouble. I've studied all your moves."

"Yeah? Study this!" Kano retorted as he fired off his eye beam. This time, he aimed at Cassie.

He was most surprised when Cassie calmly took one step to the left, the eye beam missing her entirely.

"I'm not impressed," she said.

Kano's surprised look soon vanished as he felt his throat being squeezed by an inhuman force. Not even Sonya had squeezed his throat this hard when she tried to strangle him to death back inside the Refugee Camp. His other knife fell to the floor as he clawed at his throat, trying to breathe.

"Gack...grrk..." Kano gurgled.

Cassie's grin went even wider as Kano's face turned a nice shade of purple. "I'm sorry," she mocked, "did you say something? Not so smug now, aren't ya? Telepathy and telekinesis are such fun mutant abilities to have. Now I see why Kenshi and Takeda like having such a skill."

Kano's eyes widened.

"Imagine if I had these powers back in Earthrealm." She increased the pressure on Kano's neck.

"Indeed," Kitana seconded. "Now I'm glad that we are no longer enemies."

Cassie nodded. "Only difference is that I'm in a whole different league than those two. I can just as easily snap your neck and get off scot-free..."

"Kill...me...never...get your friends...back...from Raiden..." Kano managed to choke out.

Cassie feigned reluctance and released Kano. Of course Raiden wasn't going to hand over her friends. He would just as easily kill them out of spite.

Kano fell to his knees, taking in huge gulps of air. But his relief would be short-lived. As he got back to a vertical base, Cassie's grin went from evil to outright sadistic as she decided to go below the belt.

Kano's eye bugged out as he felt what it appeared to be a sledgehammer's worth of force slam down on his crotch. A strangled scream came from his gullet as he sank to his knees yet again. Veins began to pop out his neck as he tried to relive the pain by attempting to blast Cassie with his laser beam yet again.

"Now that," Cassie mused as the beam harmlessly deflected off the psionic shield, "was very rude."

She increased the pressure on Kano's crotch. He screamed even louder.

"Wow," Cassie noted, "you scream just as loud as your son. Pitch is off, though."

Unknown to Kano, Cassie had been reading his mind. Several of his memories stood out.

Kano swearing fealty to Raiden on threat of death.

Kano and the Black Dragon's assault on Fort Charles, the headquarters of Earthrealm Strategic Defense, which led to him murdering General Flagg after Flagg had destroyed the portal room, setting the Black Dragon back which was followed by him claiming the base as his own.

Kano brutally training his son in the ways of the Black Dragon.

Raiden's plans for the realms.

The rape and murder of her beloved aunt, Vera Briggs.

She watched his memories, of how he had tortured her surrogate aunt, of how he raped her as she screamed for Jax and Jacqui to save her as he ravaged her.

Of how he slit her throat and left her to die in great pain.

Of how he gloated to Jax and Jacqui of her death, with her surrogate uncle and her best friend unable to do anything about it due to being under Raiden's control.

But Cassie remained cool...despite the fact that she could just as easily kill Vera's murderer. And just to show what kind of a monster Kano was, Cassie showed Kitana his past memories as well, knowing full well of her intense hatred for rapists.

Despite the pain, Kano felt the Kamidogu placed into his belt being loosed, then freed. He was helpless as he watched as the sheathed weapon – still tainted with the Blood Code, floated over to Cassie's outstretched hand.

The blonde Cage handed it to Kitana. "Hold on to this. And try not to get stabbed, unless you want to experience the Blood Code first-hand."

Kitana nodded. "After what I've seen you and the others went through, I'd rather not."

In his pain, he saw Sonya emerge from around the corridor. But she was not alone, as she was accompanied by Deadpool, who was dragging along a bloodied a bruised Darren. One eye was swollen shut, his hands were tied behind his back, and he looked like he went twelve rounds with a bear and lost.

"Hey! I knew you'd be back!" Deadpool said as he hauled Darren along. "Did ya miss me?" He looked at Kitana and Cassie. "Ooh, now its a party!"

"Shut up, Wade," Kitana and Cassie both said in unison.

"Tough crowd," Deadpool replied.

"Let him go, Cassandra." Sonya's voice cut through the rage that was building inside of her. "He's mine."

Cassie turned around and saw her mother with their hostage. "No. We take him at the same time," she said, not loosening her mental grip on Kano's crotch.

"He had this on him," Kitana said, extending her hand with the Kamidogu resting in her palm.

Sonya gently grasped it by the handle and activated her headset. "Doctor Strange, do you read?"

"Loud and clear, Colonel," was the reply.

"Zero in on my location."

Within seconds, Strange appeared. "What is it you need, Colonel?"

Sonya handed Strange the Kamidogu. "Take this and place it inside my husband's office for safekeeping," Sonya ordered.

"This...tainted power...what is it?" Strange asked as he felt the cursed blade pulse as he took it in his hand.

"That is the Kamidogu," Cassie explained. "Don't let the blade cut you, unless you wish to go berserk from blood magik."

Strange nodded, and quickly departed. With the Kamidogu safely contained and out of Kano's reach, Cassie released Kano of the mental torture.

"I was hoping that Deadpool would kill you and save us the trouble of doing it," Sonya said.

"At least the money Dad paid him to soften him up was worth it," Cassie added. In a flash, both Desert Eagles were out; one pointed at Kano who was forced to stop mid-charge, and the second was aimed at Darren's head, along with Deadpool's shotgun. "One reason, Kano. Actually, I got plenty of 'em to put a bullet in Junior's head. Consider your next move carefully."

Wisely, Kano backed off.

Sonya cocked her head. "That fight with Deadpool took a lot out of you, didn't it?" she asked. "Well, he did his part. I remember having to run through a gauntlet of Black Dragon thugs, right before you showed up and revealed yourself as the leader."

Kano froze. He did remember making Sonya run through the gauntlet, wearing her down so that she would be unable to put up much of a fight. Funny how some memories that made him smile now seem to bite him in the ass. Deadpool had proven to be quite a formidable opponent, even if he matched Mileena in insanity.

Sonya punched in a button on her gauntlet. Almost instantly, the building went into automatic lockdown. Steel bars slid down, blocking Kano's escape, should he need it.

"You should be fortunate that I decided to put some time aside for us," the Cage matriarch said. "We definitely need it. Almost 30 years of memories...pretty overwhelming, really. How many times have you taunted and tormented my family, and me? Plenty. But the top two is that you kidnapped my daughter and niece so that Havik can use them as bait. And I haven't forgotten that it was you who had stolen Shinnok's Amulet, which led to him being released."

"Now, it's payback time," Cassie said. "Two-on-one."

This time, Kano laughed. "You can't kill me. Neither you, yer mom or your idiot father! You have to take me in! You have to uphold the law!"

"Not this time, Kano," Sonya replied. "You see, no one here knows who you are save for the Avengers and the X-Men. All the public will see is nothing more than terrorists attacking Cage Incorporated. Had I still been a General, then yes, I would have to take you in. But we're not in Earthrealm, aren't we?"

Kano's smirk faltered.

"I don't know, Mom," Cassie mused. "I think that he would rather be killed by Daegon instead of us. After all, that's what Raiden had planned for Kano all along, right?"

Kitana smirked. "At least Raiden doesn't trust him as far as he can throw him." To Kano, she asked, Did you really think that Raiden would actually forgive you for stealing Shinnok's Amulet, on top of all of the other crimes you've done? You'd have a better chance of begging forgiveness from Kotal Kahn."

"You and the Black Dragon are now expendable," Cassie said. "Sucks to be you. Raiden's merely biding his time until you've outlived your usefulness."

"But we're getting off the matter at hand," Sonya said. "Still don't believe that Cassie and I are serious in killing you? Fine." To Deadpool, she gave the following order. "Wade, show Kano what a twelve-gauge does to a human foot."

Without hesitation, Deadpool adjusted his aim, shifting from Darren's head to his left foot, and pulled the trigger.

 **BLAM.**

Darren screamed as the round all but blew his appendage in half. Had it not been for Sonya's grip on him, then he would had fell to the ground.

"No! Wait! WAIT!" Kano shouted, hands held up in an attempt to stave off any further attempts from Deadpool to maim his son. "STOP! Leave him alone!"

Cassie looked at Kano with a look that said, 'Are you shitting me?'

"I don't think you're convinced yet, Kano," Sonya said. To Deadpool, she said, "Right foot."

Deadpool complied. He blasted off Darren's right foot, only this time, he aimed a bit higher, blowing off his ankle as well. This time, Sonya allowed him to fall to the ground. Darren flopped around like a fish, bleeding profusely from his feet.

"NO, STOP!" Kano shouted. "Leave him alone! Dammit, leave him alone!"

Sonya tapped one finger on her chin. "Now what does this remind me of...?" She snapped her fingers. "That's right. After I was weakened by your men, you took me down quite easily. Then you brought out my partner. I begged for his life to be spared." In a saccharine tone, she asked, "Care to tell me what happened next, Kano?"

Kano hesitated.

Sonya sighed. She turned to her daughter. "Cassie, kill him."

Cassie aimed her handcannon at Darren's skull.

"I shot him, alright?! I killed your partner!" Kano shouted, which stayed Cassie's hand.

"On. Your. Knees," Cassie ordered. "Hands raised."

Kano complied with Cassie's demand. He got down to his knees, hands raised, the horrifying realization now clear. "No, Sonya, don't! Not my boy! It's me you want! It's always been me! He's got nothing to do with us!"

"My daughter and niece had nothing to do with us!" Sonya snarled. "And yet, you kidnapped them both! Your actions robbed me, my husband, and Jax of that peace of mind! Give me one good reason why I should show your son any type of mercy!"

"I'd say give it to him, Mom," Cassie suggested, all the while mentally suggesting something else to her. "Give him the mercy he so deserves."

Nearly thirty years of tormenting Sonya and her family has reached its limit, Kano realized. The fact that Cassie had blown off Darren's feet showed that they were serious.

In short, Kano realized that he had pushed them both to the breaking point.

So he did what he did best: negotiate.

"Look...I was just following orders!" Kano defended as Sonya brought Darren back to his knees. "Okay...maybe I was outta line when I did what I did to Vera, okay?! We can deal! I know things! I know what Raiden is planning! I know the size of his forces, and which realms are on the chopping block! A trade, Sonya! Info for my son's freedom!"

"Not good enough," Sonya said, right before pulling out her garrote wire and wrapping it around Darren's neck. She began to strangle the life out of the boy.

"All right! ALL RIGHT!" Kano shouted. "I'll give up! I'll surrender! Just leave him alone!"

Sonya relented. "So...if you surrender, then your son walks...well, crawls free and you get a nice prison cell, and we know what Raiden is planning. Is that it, Kano?"

Kano nodded.

Sonya smirked as Cassie sent a mental message to her, saying that she already knew what Raiden's plans were for the realms. She turned to Darren and secured her garrote wire. "You see? Ever the businessman, your father," she said, trailing one finger along Darren's bare shoulder. He winced. "He likes to wheel and deal, trying to find the best deal that ends with him on top."

She looked down at the bound man, who had fear showing in his eyes. "You place all your hopes and dreams with your child...your offspring. Hoping that they will do better than you, and not make the same mistakes as you once did." She turned back to Kano. "Just as your father tried to do in trying to bargain with your life."

Kano's relief was short-lived as Sonya's eyes took on a sinister appearance. Crimson began to seep into the periwinkle blues, turning the irises a purple color as Sonya began to draw upon the power of the Blood Code from inside her body.

Sonya ran her fingers through Darren's hair. "Your assumed we had a deal. I didn't." She looked at Kano. "I told you once before, Kano. But it seems you forgot that little detail about me. I think that he needs to be reminded of that specific detail."

"SONYA, NO!" Kano screamed as she grabbed Darren's head.

His pleas fell on deaf ears as Sonya violently twisted Darren's head to the side. Kano's scream could not drown out the sickening, meaty **SNAP** of Darren's neck breaking, followed by her flinging the now-dead son towards his father, the look of sadistic joy on her face.

Had Cassie looked at her mother, her sadistic grin would have reminded her of the moment that she ripped off Kintaro's head. Kitana, however, did look at Sonya. The grin had sent chills down the Edenian's spine.

"I don't negotiate with scumbags," Sonya finished.

Kano screamed as he scrambled over to his son's corpse. "No..." he moaned as he cradled his son's body as tears began to run down his face. "Darren...my boy...my poor boy..." he sobbed. Looking at Sonya, that smirk on her face, he screamed out, "YOU SAID YOU'D SHOW MERCY!"

"And I did," Sonya replied, all the while Cassie holstered her firearms. "He didn't suffer. You robbed Jax and Jacqui of Vera. I robbed you of your son. Fair trade."

Kano was reminded of the same memory that the roles had been reversed. Sonya had begged for mercy and rather than release him, he shot him in front of her.

 _"YOU BASTARD! YOU PROMISED TO SHOW HIM MERCY!"_

 _"And I did show him mercy, baby. I gave him a quick death."_

"No..." Kano whispered. "We're not square..." He looked at Sonya. "Fuck Raiden. I'm gonna kill your daughter...AND YOU!"

Kano lunged...and screamed as an unbearable sharp pain pierced his brain, courtesy of Cassie Cage and her mental attack. Then, he felt himself being lifted into the air.

"At first, Mom and I planned on just beating you senseless," Cassie said, her irises going from blue to red. "But...things change. Plans change. I wanna try my hand at what you do best: torture."

"You...don't have...the guts!" Kano grated.

Cassie grinned, hand stretched out. "Maybe my match with Shinnok has tainted my soul...or was it being exposed to the Blood Code? Only the Elder Gods know for sure. Remember what you told my mother back in the Refugee Camp? 'Piss me off, then Cassie's gonna meet Uncle Kano?'" Her smile turned sinister. " **Be careful what you wish for.** "

Kano's screams rang out from the lobby as Cassie attacked his crotch yet again. All the while Cassie played back Kano's gloating to her mother and Kitana about how he and his son had violated Vera.

" _Your wife was a nice piece of ass, Briggs. I can see where Jacqui gets her looks from. Oh, she was a fighter, Vera was. But in the end, they all break. Vera was so ripe...so pink. She screamed for you and Jacqui to help her as my boy and me took turns. But there was no knight in shining armor for her."_

" **This...is for Aunt Vera,** " Cassie said, as she balled her hand into a fist.

The sound was hard to describe when both Sonya and Kitana looked back on this day. It sounded like a combination of a wet, tearing sound and a muffled explosion all in one. The sound made both Kitana and Sonya wince.

Kano screamed even louder, unable to move as crimson seeped into his pants. Cassie had used her powers to destroy Kano's testicles.

" **Oh, come now, Uncle Kano,** " Cassie said. " **We're just getting started.** " She turned to Deadpool, who had pulled up a chair, his mask partially off, allowing him to munch on some popcorn and drinking down a Big Gulp.

Deadpool felt one of his katanas being yanked free from its scabbard, courtesy of Cassie. "Hey! Wait! Don't break that! That's a collector's item!" he objected.

" **Now...what should I do with this?** " Cassie mused. She raised the blade to eye level, Kano staring down the pointy end of Deadpool's katana. " **Should I take your other eye and kill you? Nah. To merciful.** " She snapped her fingers. " **I remember you zapping both Jacqui and I when we tried to escape. 'Next one who tries that loses a leg,' if I remember correctly. Your words, not mine.** "

Cassie maneuvered the katana so that it was hovering below Kano's right foot. Then, inspired by what she had seen Kenshi do with Sento one time, she made the blade spin. Slowly at first, then gradually picking up speed until it was a spinning blur.

" **This...is for kidnapping me and Jacqui,** " Cassie said as she directed the blade upward.

Kano screamed even louder as Deadpool's katana had all but shredded his foot and leg in such a way that would have made Kenshi proud, stopping only when she reached the knee.

"Yes, folks, it slices and dices, and makes julienne fries!" Deadpool cheered as he he was performing a sales pitch. "And it turns human appendages into chum in a matter of seconds! Buy one and get the second one free!"

Kitana groaned. "Can I kill him now?" she asked Sonya, pointing to Deadpool.

"You tried, both you and Liu," Sonya replied. "Cassie tried to kill him as well, remember?"

Kitana frowned underneath her mask. "Oh. Right."

"This is starting to get good," Deadpool said as he continued to munch away at his popcorn, ignoring the fact that Kitana wanted to try and kill him yet again.

The blade stopped spinning and after flicking the blade free of blood and gore, Cassie returned it to Deadpool's scabbard. Meanwhile, Kano continued to scream. Cassie in the meantime, conjured a ball of flame in her hand, and flung it at Kano's leg. Kano screamed even louder as the cosmic flame cauterized his bloody stump where his leg used to be.

" **Bleeding to death is too good for you,** " Cassie noted. " **And I'm having so much fun. Darren was weak. You, on the other hand, are as tough as they come.** "

One past memory regarding her parents came to mind, of how Kano had tossed her father off a bridge during the Mortal Kombat tournament, allowing him to torture her mother with repeated eye blasts from his faceplate.

" **I really, really don't like that faceplate of yours,** " Cassie said. " **I heard you got an upgrade after Subzero ripped it off whilst hopped up on blood magik. I think it's time to make it go away for good.** "

Kano's head jerked violently to the left. Then, to the right. And he began to scream yet again as Cassie forcibly yanked the faceplate off his face, exposing a bloody mass of muscle, bone, and sinew, the eye socket also visible.

"Ouch," Deadpool grimaced. "That's gonna sting."

Even Sonya and Kitana winced.

" **That's for Mom and Dad,** " Cassie intoned.

The faceplate then crumpled into an unusable mass and Cassie tossed it to the side, right before slamming Kano into the ground. Pulling out her Desert Eagle, she unloaded a full clip into Kano's other leg, starting from his ankle and ending at his kneecap, rendering it useless.

He screamed even louder when Cassie pulled out her second Desert Eagle and rendered his right hand and forearm useless with several rounds.

" **That's for Colonel Flagg,** " added Cassie.

Walking over to Kano, she planted one booted foot into his face, knocking him on his back. Cassie saw that one emotion was in his good eye. The same emotion that he had inflicted on his past victims.

Fear.

Kano weakly brought his remaining hand up in a placating gesture. "No...no more! Mercy! Please...! I'm...I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

" **Poor Uncle Kano,** " Cassie sneered as she knelt beside the mangled mercenary. " **You're regretting ever wanting to meet me, are you?** "

Kano whimpered as he nodded.

Cassie patted the older man on the head. " **Oh, I know you're sorry...but let's pretend you're not!** " she snarled as she dug her finger into the eye socket, drawing up more blood and making Kano scream even more. Then, after thirty seconds, she slammed his head onto the floor.

Rising back to her feet, she turned back to her mother, Kitana and Deadpool. " **He's done,** " she said as she made Kano hover into the air once again, a broken, bleeding mass that was once the cocky and arrogant mercenary and terrorist that had plagued and tormented her family and friends for so many years.

Deadpool jumped to his feet. "FINISH HIM!" he shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

Cassie looked at her mother and Kitana, who both nodded in the affirmative, despite Kitana looking a bit green. Cassie also noticed that Kitana's eye had been twitching, seeing as how Deadpool sounded a lot like Shao Kahn when he demanded Kano's life.

Both Kitana and Sonya looked around. Just how in the hell did the lights inside the lobby went dim all of a sudden?

Cassie, for her part, ignored that fact and turned back to Kano, who was whimpering helplessly in the air, his skin pale due to the loss of blood, his cybernetics keeping him alive.

Cassie took notice of his discarded knives. A stroke of inspiration hit her as she used her powers to bring Kano's deadly weapons to her side. " **I wonder...just how many lives you have taken over the years using your knives alone,** " Cassie pondered as she gently touched the blades, the metal turning red as they were heated by her powers. " **I kinda find it fitting that you meet your end by the weapons that you so cherish.** "

Kano whimpered. "Please...no..."

" **You think that your death will be the end of your suffering,** " Cassie continued. " **Oh, are you so wrong. In fact, I have someone you want to meet.** "

As if on cue, Magik appeared via stepping disk.

" **This is Magik. Sorceress Supreme and Ruler of Limbo,** " Cassie introduced. " **As I've said – and as Kitana can bear witness – death is merely the beginning. Only this time, you will not be reborn as a revenant.** " She gestured to Magik. " **Your soul – along with that of your son** **and your friends** **– will be sent to Limbo, where the both of you will be tormented and tortured for all eternity. Isn't that neat?** "

"No...please...mercy..." Kano moaned. "I'm sorry..."

" **Vera asked for mercy,** " Cassie replied. " **And you and your son raped her. Tortured her. Killed her. Robbed Jacqui of her mother and Jax of his wife.** " She took aim with the knives. " **Take this lesson with you as you die and your soul is taken to Limbo: there are fates worse than death. Goodbye, Kano.** "

The first knife sailed towards its target, impaling Kano square in the throat. He jerked and twitched, unable to do anything. He was also unable to scream due to the intense heat destroying his voicebox.

Cassie let loose with the second knife, which landed blade-first into Kano's face, the force of the attack sent him flying into a support pillar. Kano's body went limp as it bounced off of said pillar and fell face-down onto the floor, the blades being driven through his throat and skull.

Cassie looked down at Kano's corpse. "You got Caged," she said, her eyes and voice going back to normal.

"My turn," Magik said as she began to chant an incantation.

Kitana had seen Shang Tsung steal the souls of his victims in the past. Magik's method, however, was quite different. A stepping disk had been formed, just as the souls of Kano and Darren emerged from their bodies. Then, they were sucked into the disk, screaming, before the disk itself snapped closed, Magik herself leaving the scene.

"Cassie Cage wins!" Deadpool crowed. "Fatality!"

Kitana groaned.

"Just ignore him, Kitana," Sonya said. She felt a sense of relief. Her longtime enemy was dead. Her former partner and Vera were avenged. Sonya could not help but to notice the irony of the situation. It had been Cassie who had killed the Black Dragon leader, while she killed the son. "Burn the bodies. I want nothing to remain of both men."

Cassie complied. Two balls of cosmic fire blossomed into her hands. The first, she tossed at Darren's corpse, the second, at Kano. Both bodies were reduced to ash, Kano's cybernetic implants reduced to nothing more than slag.

It was finally over.


	20. Side Story 2: The Dance Of Dragons

**Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe Side Story: The Dance of Dragons**

Snafu's Notes: Another side story, this time we see Iron Fist take on Liu Kang. I didn't know how to work this chapter in, so I did Date Night instead. As I'm redoing the fourth chapter for the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated, I decided to post this chapter in its place. The inspiration for the fight scenes came from Ip Man 1 and 2, The Raid 1 and 2 and of course, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Mortal Kombat X. And if you notice the title of the side story, for anyone who is a fan of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, you can guess where the inspiration came from this.

This story takes place in the weeks before the Superhuman Registration Act goes into effect, and three months after Date Night.

Red Lotus Compound, near the Chinese-Vietnamese border.

Nitro was dead to begin with. There was no doubt about that, especially when the Red Lotus Society was involved.

The Stamford Incident had hit close to home for the Red Lotus, as the safehouse was close to Ground Zero, operated by a longtime Red Lotus operative and his family. Suffice to say, Robert Hunter was a dead man walking.

As the Red Lotus had no compunctions when it came to exacting vengeance, Liu and Kitana tracked Nitro down. There, the pair got the full story from Nitro, the supervillain spilling his guts before Kitana spilled his (and inadvertently robbing Namor any sense of justice for one of his own who had died at Stamford and Wolverine the chance to rip Nitro limb from limb, leaving only his bodies for both men to find). As it turned out, Nitro had been on some mutant growth hormones when he blew his top at Stamford, the drugs having been supplied to him by Walter Declun, the CEO of Damage Control, the construction company dealing with repairs and damages stemming from fights between superheroes and supervillains.

So Walter Declun was next on their list. He didn't die very well. Liu Kang made sure of that when he had ripped his voicebox out, but not before securing a confession out of the guy.

Liu and Kitana did not see this as a mark, but rather delivering justice for not only their operatives, but for the countless others that had died when Nitro destroyed the neighborhood that he was hiding in. A lot of good it did them. Despite leaking Declan's confession to the public and Nitro's involvement, the Superhuman Registration Act's passing was inevitable.

It was their day off from running the Red Lotus and the former Emperor and Empress were having an outdoor lunch on the main house's outdoor deck, clad in casual attire. Down on the grounds, some of their members trained, while others meditated and patrolled the grounds. Liu had made lunch, a traditional Chinese meal. It was one of his many hidden talents aside from kombat and assassination.

Not that Kitana was complaining.

"So..." Kitana paused to set down her pair of chopsticks. "I've lived for over ten thousand years and can't boil water, whereas you spend most of your life as a Shaolin, and cook like a professional chef. Why is that?"

Liu shrugged his shoulders. "You pick things up here and there." When Kitana didn't look convinced, Liu explained further. "I always had a knack for cooking. One of the monks at the temple used to be a chef before he abandoned the lifestyle and joined the temple. Said I had a natural talent for cooking."

"Martial artist, champion, assassin and chef. Aren't you a jack-of-all-trades."

"A jack-of-all-trades is a master of nothing."

"So you say. I wonder what would happen if I taught you how to make some Edenian dishes?"

Liu grinned. "You would had abandoned Shao Kahn and had married me a long time ago."

Kitana chuckled. After taking a sip of her tea, she then posed the next question. "Care to explain your interest in that man? You know that he would refuse an invite to our little family, so why pursue him?"

Liu knew who she was referring to. Daniel Rand, the Immortal Iron Fist. Liu's interest in the man had started when he was a Hero for Hire, working alongside Luke Cage. Of course, Luke's appearance made both Kitana and Liu pause, as he reminded them both of Jax's revenant form. Then, he became a superhero in his own right, joining the Avengers. She had seen the photos of him in action, some video of it as well, and even the Edenian Assassin knew that the man was talented.

But now, in the wake of the Stamford Incident, the Avengers were forced to choose sides. Some chose Captain America, others chose Iron Man. A superhero civil war was looming. While Liu had seen that Cap's intentions were noble, they were only postponing the inevitable. The Act will pass.

But that also meant that Johnny Cage's daughters were also at risk. Mey, the Red Lotus plant who posed as Johnny's secretary, had been giving them daily reports – in Edenian, as Jade taught her to speak the language, and to keep Johnny in the dark – had notified them both that Cassie and Ravenna were both mutants, which meant that they – alongside their father due to his warrior bloodline and inborn powers – would risk imprisonment should they not register.

But Liu suspected that Johnny had an ace in the hole. Johnny just wasn't Johnny if he didn't.

But back to the matter at hand...

"My interest in Mr. Rand is much simpler." Liu took a sip of his tea. "While there is healthy competition between you, Johnny and Jade, I feel like I am...stagnating. The Immortal Iron Fist, from what I have seen, is incredibly skilled. The fact that he has trained at K'un-Lun has made me curious."

Kitana connected the dots. "You wish to challenge him in kombat."

"No. This will not be a battle to the death. Just a simple match. I want to see if he is as good as the others claim to be."

"Do you think Cage knows that Rand and Iron Fist are one in the same?"

"That, I do not know."

"So when will you make your move?" Kitana asked.

"In the next couple of days. Before the Act is made law."

Kitana frowned. "Heroes fighting heroes. While both sides are preparing to bleed the other, what do you think the bad guys are doing?"

"Watching from the sidelines until one wipes out the other or both sides are weakened. Divide and conquer," Liu replied. "The same tactic that Quan Chi used whilst Earthrealm and Outworld were fighting over Shinnok's Amulet."

"There is another reason as to why you wish to fight Rand, is it not?" Kitana asked.

Liu nodded. "Back when I was Raiden's champion. Before all of us died. He wasn't as idealistic as I was back in Earthrealm, but looking at him, I see myself. What I could have been had things not went the way they had."

"You have regrets about becoming an assassin?"

"No. Being an assassin had brought me even closer to you. Moreso than our time in the Netherrealm." Liu finished off his tea. "I guess...while he is an idealistic fool, Daniel Rand means well. I just don't want him to make the same mistakes we all did in regards to Raiden; following blindly, not seeing the threat until it is too late. Rand has potential. Raw, untapped potential."

"You wish to train him?"

"No. His path and mine are separate. But should he seek me out, then I will train him. Other than that, no. He walks in the light. We walk in the darkness."

Kitana smiled wryly. "And what about Cage and his family?"

Liu barked out a laugh. "Only the Elder Gods know for sure."

The rest of their lunch was eaten in pleasant silence.

* * *

Cage Incorporated – Executive Office, New York City

Johnny Cage knew that it was a bad time for him to return to the city.

Not because of what he and Sonya had done to the Goblin, mind you. But he had it coming for ruining his and Sonya's date night. But, as Chairman of Cage Incorporated, he had a responsibility to be here, seeing as how he was one of three main donors, the other being Tony Stark and Daniel Rand.

The timing was bad due to the inevitable passing of the Superhuman Registration Act. In the aftermath of the Stamford Incident, in which Nitro had leveled the town – many of its casualties being school-aged children – the public outcry was so great that the federal government had to act.

Thanks to Sonya's connections in Washington, she was able to procure a copy of the Superhuman Registration Act in its entirety. sure enough, both Cassie and Ravenna would have to register, along with Johnny due to his own inborn powers.

However, there was a loophole for those with superpowers who were active servicemen, officers or working with the military or with the federal government, of which Sonya had discovered. Any metahuman and/or mutant whose spouse was in the military or working with the federal government was exempt, as there was a military database already in effect, separate from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database, with the names and status of its superhuman members. It also kept any active superhero from having to register with S.H.I.E.L.D., and allowed the opportunity for any military officer to actively recruit and retain any superhero on the federal government's payroll, giving them a bit of leeway from S.H.I.E.L.D.

Cassie and Ravenna were already on the military register under Sonya's name. But she kept out the detail that they were mutants. Second, Rebecca kept out the fact that both girls had studied under Xavier. If push comes to shove, Johnny will simply remind Sonya's superiors that the Army isn't the only branch of the Armed Forces that he could contract out Cage Incorporated's weapons tech should they try anything funny with his wife.

Of course, this visit also coincided with that of his sister's own visit from London. When Ravenna was four, Cage Incorporated had branched out to Europe, Rebecca Cage had chosen to oversee the expansion. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to marry an American expatriate, a civilian worker at the American Embassy in London. Of course, Rebecca kept her word to Cassie, and did not go back to the criminal life of a hacker.

Brother and sister were in the building's executive office, Ravenna seated on the couch while Johnny looked out at the waterfront. While Johnny looked pensive, Rebecca looked worried.

"It's only a matter of time, now," Johnny said. "The Act will become law in a couple of days."

"And what will you and Sonya do if Stark and his band of sellouts find out that not only you have inborn powers, but the girls are mutants?" Rebecca posed. "Do you think that Sonya will protect you, or that that iron idiot would give you a free pass just because you're the head of Cage Incorporated?" She sighed. "This is a dangerous game you're playing, Johnny. Both you and Sonya. While I can't do anything for Cassie, let me take Ravenna with me back to London. That way she can at least be safe until all of this blows over."

"Sometimes, the best way to win the most dangerous game is not to play," Johnny replied. "Sonya found a loophole in the Act. Cassie, Ravenna and myself are registered under the military registry. S.H.I.E.L.D. can't touch us, lest they risk retribution from the federal government...and a giant lawsuit from the offending party. I think that Stark and the other Mighty Avengers doesn't know about that little detail."

"I'll bet that Stark will blow his top when he discovers that little detail," Rebecca snorted.

Johnny turned to Mey, who was speaking on her cellphone. "Mey, give us the room, please," he ordered.

Mey nodded and exited the room, still speaking on the phone.

"Clever girl, that one," Johnny noted. "Apparently speaking in Edenian."

Rebecca looked puzzled. Johnny looked at his sister, and grinned. "There are four people who speak Edenian. Three of them are the grandmasters of the Red Lotus. Mey makes four."

Now, Rebecca was alarmed. She knew who was in charge of the Red Lotus, as her brother, sister-in-law and elder niece had history with all three grandmasters, most of which wasn't pleasant.

"And I make five," Johnny confirmed. "I learned while I was in Seido whilst learning to control my powers. Hotaru taught me. It sounds like she is speaking Japanese, but it's more ancient."

"You know that she's Red Lotus?" Rebecca demanded. "Why do you keep her around?"

"Her mission is to keep a close eye on myself and my family, to make sure that we're not a threat to Liu and the others," Johnny explained. "Plus, the reason I keep her around is that she is very good at her job. Good help is so hard these days."

"You are insane," Rebecca said. "Does Sonya know that?"

Johnny grinned. "Of course. It's one of the reasons why she married me."

"Ha-Ha. Funny. So...when will you bring the family to London? Luke and the boys been asking about you. It's been a year since we all visited you guys in San Francisco."

"With Sonya busy with running her unit, Cassie's responsibilities as an officer and Ravenna being groomed to follow in my footsteps, it's gonna be hard, but we should swing by come Christmas," her brother replied.

After a bit more banter, Rebecca left the office. Deciding that he needed some time for himself, Johnny left the office as well, heading for the park for some peace and quiet.

* * *

Central Park, later on.

Aside from Portsmouth Square, Central Park had a special significance for Johnny Cage. He had shot several of his movies in the park back in Earthrealm, and even brought along Cassie for some of the shoots. In fact, he had shot the sequel to 'Every Dog Has Its Day' in Central Park, the film itself being one of Cassie's favorites.

In fact, Sonya used the title of the film for a password of hers, so Cassie says. But for what, Johnny didn't know, and Sonya was tight-lipped about it.

He sat on the bench, enjoying the day. It was nice out, despite the fact that the city was under great tension due to the schism between the superheroes. Earlier in the day, he had saw the news report regarding Nitro's demise, along with that of Damage Control's CEO, of which Declan was the person most directly responsible for the Stamford Incident.

Johnny suspected that Liu and Kitana had a hand in their demise. The Red Lotus had a soft spot for children and went after those who harmed children for profit with a vengeance.

"Oi!"

Johnny was broken out of his reverie. Surrounding him were a small group of men, eight in total. Punks, from the looks of things, dressed in god-awful clothing, complete with sly, evil looks on their faces. Apparently, they were taking advantage of the fact that the cops had their hands full in keeping the peace.

And they were armed.

The lead punk was making Johnny's eye twitch. He sounded a lot like Kano.

Said punk in question had a pair of nunchuks out, admiring it as he spoke. "You look like a sympathetic wanker," he said. He pointed to the guy who was casually holding a stun baton in his hand. "Me partner here needs an operation, but we're a bit short on cash, ya follow me?"

"Yeah," Johnny replied, deciding to humor him. "I follow ya." Then, he borrowed a phrase from his wife, although the wording was quite different. "I just don't deal with scumbags."

"Now, now, mate," the lead punk said, now holding the melee weapon in a threatening manner. "You actin' like we're muggers or somethin'! Me and my mates are insulted, ain't that right, fellas?"

"Very," the big man said, right before grabbing a handful of Johnny's shirt and hauling him to his feet. "We're businessmen, ya see?" This guy, Johnny noted that he had a thick Jersey accent. "And we're in the business of crackin' skulls. Eight against you, dude. Not good odds. Just hand over the cash and we will let you off with a...light chastisement. Try and play the hero, and you'll make it worse for yourself."

Johnny sighed. "Son...you just made the biggest mistake of your life," he said.

 **CRACK.**

Johnny's head slammed into the big mugger's face, breaking his nose, and forcing the man to release him. A hard kick to the head sent the guy crashing to the bench that Johnny had been sitting on minutes earlier, reducing it to splinters. He was out like a light.

Johnny knew that he was in for a fight, so he just skipped the negotiations.

"GET HIM!" the lead mugger shouted.

Johnny smirked as he pulled out his glasses. "Shades on..." he said as he slipped them over his eyes. His hands balled into fists. "...gloves off."

Johnny noted that one of the thugs had a hunting knife in his hand as he closed in. Johnny's foot lashes out, striking the mugger in the hand, causing him to drop his blade. The heel to the jaw knocked him out cold.

His partner staggered when Johnny drove his elbow into his kneecap after Johnny blocked his kick, which was followed by a hard elbow into the torso, with a quick uppercut to lay him out.

Johnny then parried an attack, spun around, and slammed a third elbow into the guy's head, right before grabbing the guy by the back of his head and driving it into his knee. He was out like a light.

Four down, four to go.

After seeing Johnny take out half of their guys without breaking a sweat, the other four decided to attack en masse.

One was armed with a regular baton, the other with a pair of sticks that when combined, made a staff. Johnny grabbed the wrist of the guy holding the baton when he tried to come in with an overhead strike. Seeing the man with the stun baton coming in to shock him, Johnny, still holding the other guy, moved, causing Mr. Stun Baton to shock his friend instead. Johnny released him and the poor sap fell to the ground.

A swift kick to the head and a flip throw to Mr. Stun Baton left him down for the count.

Mr. Nunchuck tried his luck, only to be caught in a headlock, and punched in the face repeatedly before being flung to the ground. A foot sweep and a kick to the head put Mr. Staff out, and a second throw had planted Mr. Baton, the foot to the head knocking him out cold, leaving him with Mr. Nunchuck.

After dodging several swings, Johnny counterattacked. A quick left jab. A hard straight punch with his right. A left cross, followed by a roundhouse kick.

Only problem was, the lead mugger was still standing, his legs wobbly from the blow to the head, the nunchucks falling from his hand.

Johnny sighed as he lowered his guard. As if he was speaking to a stuntman who had forgotten his cue, he said, "This is where you fall down."

"Thanks." With that, the last guy collapsed into a heap, joining his friends in unconsciousness.

"Flawless Victory," Johnny mused. "Still got it."

 **CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.**

Johnny turned around. His fight had attracted the attention of two more newcomers. Both men of whom he had recognized from the last time he was in New York.

Iron Fist – who was doing the clapping – and his best friend, Luke Cage, the fight having caught the attention of the two superheroes. But rather than lend Johnny a helping hand, the two Heroes for Hire sat back and watched. Luke had a look of shock on his face, while Iron Fist looked impressed.

"Still think that Johnny Cage is a fake, Luke?" Iron Fist asked as he stopped clapping.

"After what he and his wife did to the Goblin," Luke replied. "Not anymore."

"Compared to these guys," Johnny replied, pausing only to stomp one of the downed thugs in the torso when he moved, "The Goblin is more of a challenge...of only barely."

"Seeing you fight in the ring is a lot different than what most people see in the ring," Iron Fist said. "But there's something...off about you. You, Colonel Blade and your eldest daughter."

Johnny sighed. "Yes, I knocked Sonya up when she was fifteen. Get over it."

"No. Not that. My instincts are...wary around you," Iron Fist noted.

"And trust me when I say, his gut is never wrong," Luke said. "So spill it."

"Concerning my wife and Cassie," Johnny replied. "It's complicated."

"That's putting it mildly," a female voice said from behind the tree. She emerged, a dark-skinned, shapely woman clad in green. "Then again, you always had a way with words, Johnny Cage."

"Jade," Johnny noted flatly.

"You two know each other?" Luke asked.

"Sort of," Johnny replied.

Jade merely smiled, as if she was the cat who had gotten the cream as she stepped forward. "You've gotten sloppy in your old age, Cage. Then again, you honestly can't die young. Not for the lack of trying."

"So what does Liu want with me now? A rematch?" Johnny asked.

"Who?" both Iron Fist and Luke said in unison.

"No. My business is not with you, Cage," Jade replied. She turned to Iron Fist. "My business is with him."

"Me?" Iron Fist said, pointing at himself.

"Him?" both Johnny and Luke said, pointing at Iron Fist.

Jade nodded. "The Red Lotus requests your presence, Iron Fist."

Iron Fist knew of the Red Lotus Society. A clan of warriors who specialized in espionage and assassinations. Granted that most of their targets were the corrupt, but still...

Jade smirked. Then her eyes glowed a radiant green. Johnny, Luke and Iron Fist found themselves restrained, unable to move, enchanted manacles appearing on their hands and feet. "I insist," she replied, as a portal emerged from behind them.

Without hesitation, Jade propelled all three men into the portal, where they were sucked in by the swirling vortex of emerald energies, before Jade herself leapt through, the portal blinking out moments later.

* * *

Red Lotus Compound

White light. Pain. Was this how it felt when one was born?

That was the question that was going through the mind of Iron Fist as he, Johnny and Luke were flung into the portal. Then, as brief the pain was, it was gone, and all three men were falling.

If only briefly.

Luke landed first, followed by Iron Fist, both men landing in a mangled heap, the former on top of the latter. Johnny managed to land on his feet, albeit he stumbled on the landing. He would had done better had it not been for the fact that his legs were shackled. Jade landed last, and dispelled the binding spell on the three men.

"You're heavy, Cage!" Iron Fist shouted. "Get off me!"

"I forgot how much I hated traveling through portals," Johnny muttered. Sighing, Johnny walked over to the two heroes and hauled Luke to his feet, followed by Iron Fist. "You guys okay?"

"I'll live," Iron Fist grunted.

"What he said," Luke added. He looked around the place. "Where are we? Are we dead?"

"No," a second female voice said from behind the three men.

The three men turned around. Standing alongside Jade, clad in her standard Red Lotus uniform (i.e., her default costume from MKX), was Kitana. Johnny noticed that she had her bladed fans in her hands. Fortunately, they were folded in.

"If you were dead, you would not see it coming," Kitana continued. "As to where you are, you are on the grounds of the Red Lotus' main compound."

"That's a hell of a greeting, lady," Luke grunted, rubbing the back of his sore neck.

Kitana's eyes narrowed at Johnny. "Cage."

"You got a problem with me, lady?" Luke demanded.

"I think she was talking to me," Johnny said when Kitana's masked face showed confusion. He pointed to Luke. "Luke Cage." Then he pointed to himself. "Johnny Cage."

"Obviously, there is no relation," Jade mused. "The surname is only the same."

Kitana turned to Jade. "You had orders only to bring him," she said, pointing to Iron Fist.

"My apologies, Princess, but I could not risk neither man to sound the alarm once I had brought Iron Fist here."

Kitana briefly thought about that for a moment. Then she nodded. "Very well."

"Okay, I know that Liu didn't drag him here for an invite to your merry little band of assassins," Johnny said. "So my guess that Liu must be looking for a challenge."

"How perceptive of you, Cage," Kitana replied. "You are correct. My husband wishes to test his skills against Iron Fist. As you are our guests, no harm shall befall any of you. Once everything is settled, then you will be returned to New York. I give you my word."

Before Luke can object, Johnny cut in. "She may be an assassin, but she's also a princess. She'll honor her promise." To Kitana, he said, "Lead the way."

"You seem to know a bit more than you're letting on," Iron Fist noted as he, Johnny and Luke followed Kitana and Jade along the pathway.

Shrugging his shoulders, Johnny admitted, "Sonya, Cassie and I have quite the history with these guys. Before they formed the Red Lotus."

"So you guys were all friends at one point?" Luke asked.

"More like allies," Johnny replied. "For me and Sonya, it was a long time ago."

"So what happened?" Iron Fist asked.

"It's...complicated," Johnny replied. "All I can say is that we ended up on opposite sides."

"So they were good guys, but went bad," guessed Luke.

"You have no idea," Johnny replied.

Meanwhile, Kitana was smirking underneath her mask as she and Jade listened to Johnny try to explain their past. " **Why you think that Johnny is dodging the questions about out past?** " Jade asked, in Edenian.

Kitana replied, also in Edenian, " **Because if he gives himself away, that also means exposing all of us. Cage may be an idiot acting as an industrialist, but he means well.** "

" **I'm glad you think that way, Kitana.** "

Kitana and Jade froze in mid-step at Johnny's reply.

What surprised them both was that he spoke in Edenian.

The former revenants slowly turned around, and were greeted with the sight of Johnny looking rather smug.

" **You can say I have a talent for learning foreign languages,** " Johnny confirmed. " **Especially when it comes to insults. Pretty clever in having Mey as a Red Lotus plant. Had she not spoken Edenian, she wouldn't have given herself away. Master Hotaru was not only my teacher in kombat, but he taught me the language.** " In English, he said, all the while pointing to Luke and Iron Fist, "Since these two don't speak Edenian, at least speak in English."

"You knew?!" Kitana half-shouted.

"Me, Sonya and Cassie knew," Johnny replied. "If you wanted to knife me in the back, then you or Liu would have done it. Mey, despite being a Red Lotus plant, is very competent at her job as my secretary. I would like to keep her around as a liaison between the both of us."

Kitana took a moment to think about that. "I will...speak to Liu about your proposal."

No further words were said between Kitana and Jade as they led their three guests to the personal training grounds used by the grandmasters.

"Anything else you'd like to add about these guys?" Luke asked.

Johnny motioned to Kitana and Jade. "Those two are childhood friends. Kitana – believe it or not – is of royal blood."

"So she's a princess?" Iron Fist asked.

Johnny nodded. "Jade is not only her best friend, but also her bodyguard. Very tough, the both of them are. Seeing as how they alongside Liu are running the Red Lotus, they have to be."

* * *

On the letdai, Liu Kang performed his meditation kata.

While he was no longer a Shaolin, he did held to some of its beliefs. Quan Chi had mocked him when he continued to perform the katas back when he was a revenant. But the katas helped to clear his mind.

The former Emperor of the Netherrealm was still haunted by his past crimes as a revenant, as was Kitana. The katas had helped him cope. He had accepted his past sins as one of Shinnok's undead thugs, as did Kitana. Maybe it was one of the reasons why he dedicated his life into protecting the helpless and punishing the guilty.

During his last match with Johnny Cage, he had been distracted, which allowed Johnny to capitalize and take the win. It was only after the match, that he had given the former Shaolin some advice.

 _"We all got our demons to face, Liu. Can't run from them forever. My sensei, Master Boyd, had a saying: 'If you can't conquer your demons and put them to rest, then the life of a hundred years is a tragedy. But if you are successful in facing your demons, then the life of a single day can be a triumph.'"_

After thinking about what Johnny had told him, Liu decided on a course of action. Both he and Kitana had been rendered unconscious and deep within their subconsciousness, fought their demons, having taken on their undead forms. The battle had been brutal, but in the end, the former Emperor and Empress had put their demons to rest.

At least the next time he and Kitana had saw Johnny, he didn't tell them "I-told-you-so." But the Red Lotus owed Johnny Cage a debt.

He understood why Johnny did what he did. He wanted him to be at his best the next time they fought. But most importantly, Johnny saw that despite the bad blood they had when they were on opposite sides, Liu and Kitana were seeking redemption of their own.

He was still performing his meditation kata when Kitana and Jade arrived with their 'guests.'

* * *

He stood in the middle of the letdai, performing a meditation kata. He was Chinese, around the same age as Johnny, with dark hair tied into a ponytail, the red headband keeping the bangs out of his eyes. He dressed simply; a red tanktop and a pair of red-and-black pants with black slippers. There was no wasted moments in his kata, as Iron Fist watched with a martial artist's eye.

As Kitana and Jade walked over to Liu, Luke nudged Johnny. "Quick question: that's him?"

Johnny nodded. "That's him. Liu Kang. Ex-Shaolin, martial artist and assassin."

"You're hiding something else," Iron Fist noted. Meanwhile, Liu turned in their direction and walked over to Johnny and the two superheroes, flanked by Kitana and Jade.

"Tell you what," Johnny replied. "Win the match, and I'll tell you everything. Deal?"

"Deal."

If Liu was surprised to see Johnny and Luke standing alongside Iron Fist, he didn't show it. "Johnny," he greeted curtly.

"Liu," Johnny replied in the same tone.

Liu turned to the green-clad superhero. "The Immortal Iron Fist. You honor my home with your presence. Although Jade should have shown more tact in bringing you here."

Behind him, Jade rolled her eyes.

"So you're the grandmaster of the Red Lotus," Iron Fist said.

"One of three," Liu replied, "the other being my wife and her friend. Oh, and there's no need for ceremony, Mr. Rand. I know who you are."

Iron Fist winced, as did Luke.

Johnny blinked. The expression on his face was priceless, the three assassins realized, as Johnny took off his glasses and turned to the outed superhero, blue eyes widening in disbelief. "Danny?"

Iron Fist sighed. He removed his mask, revealing himself to be Daniel Rand. "So you know who I am," Rand said. To Johnny, he said, "Back when you said that I had the build like a martial artist? You pretty much hit the hammer on the head."

"Johnny knows about Mey being a Red Lotus plant," Kitana said. When Liu turned to Kitana, obviously surprised, she added, "Johnny speaks Edenian."

Liu looked surprised. It took a lot to surprise him, and the fact that Johnny had made Mey out as one of their own shocked even the stoic former monk.

Liu cleared his throat, deciding to get back on track. "The Red Lotus has eyes and ears everywhere. Not as impressive as S.H.I.E.L.D., Colonel Blade's network or that of Cage Incorporated, but we take pride in our work."

"Now to the reason why I'm here," Danny said. "You wish to challenge me in a fight? A dance of dragons?"

Liu chuckled. "Dance of dragons...I like that. So what do you say? You and me, right here, right now?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "Very well. I accept."

* * *

The two men stood on the letdai, five feet apart both flanked by their respective friends and loved ones; Liu having Kitana behind and to the side of him, the former monk throwing out several practice punches, his eyes closed as he mentally prepared for the fight that was to come, Kitana whispering words of encouragement to her husband.

Danny was stretching, loosening himself up. Luke and Johnny stood beside him, Luke trying to pump his friend full of encouragement while Johnny stood by, arms folded.

"You got this, man," Luke said. "Show this chump how a Hero for Hire get down."

"Anything I need to know about your 'old friend?'" Danny asked the former actor.

"Well, you know I can fight, right?" When Danny nodded, Johnny continued. "Liu's tougher than me. Way tougher." 'After all, he was Raiden's golden boy before I took the job,' Johnny added mentally before continuing on. "Shaolin Wushu's his primary style, but he also knows Chow Lay Fut and Jeet Kune Do. And that's not counting what Kitana's been teaching him."

Danny nodded. His style of fighting was similar to the Shaolin style. "Anything else?"

"His flame attacks hurt," Johnny said. "And be on the lookout for the Bicycle Kick and the Flying Kick. Those hurt even more."

Danny nodded. "Got it."

(Cue 'Confrontation' from Soul Calibur)

Luke and Johnny left the ring, as did Kitana and Jade, the two men and two women walking to the sidelines. Liu and Danny stepped forward, Liu shedding his shirt, leaving him naked from the waist-up. When the two men were within double-arm's reach, they stopped.

Both men performed the _Bao Quan_ , or 'fist wrap;' the left four fingers wrapped around the right fist, the hands in front of their chests. A common etiquette which had been derived from - although not exclusive to - Chinese martial arts. Not a bow, but more of a salute.

The hero and the former monk broke the _Bao Quan_ and went into their respective stances. Liu Kang assumed a basic Shaolin Wushu stance (i.e., his MKX stance). It was nothing fancy or flashy, as it wasn't Liu's style. This, Johnny, Jade and Sonya knew. Danny assumed his own defensive stance (i.e., his UMVC3 stance), one which was designed to attack and defend at a moment's notice.

Danny didn't move a muscle. Liu inched his way forward by shuffling on his shoes. Then, the former monk attacked, Danny swatting his fist to the side when Liu had attempted to strike his face. The warrior of K'un-Lun raised his leg, blocking a side kick from Liu, before catching his opponent in the chest, knocking him back.

"Your face gave you away," Danny noted in a calm tone. "You grimaced before you attacked. Try not to do that next time. It gives away the game."

Liu mentally berated himself. The old masters back at the Shaolin Temple had told him the same thing. Burying his emotions, he waited for Danny to attack. When Danny went high, Liu went low. A kick to Danny's kneecap, followed by two consecutive kicks to the face; the first, a high kick, the second a roundhouse kick. Liu then followed with a barrage of punches, his fists mimicking the motion of a windmill, followed by a left cross to the face, Liu finishing off the combo with his signature Flying Dragon Kick.

Both Luke and Johnny winced from the impact. Kitana and Jade grinned.

As Danny fell to the ground, he had to admit one thing. Johnny was right about the flying kick. That hurt like crap. But he had been hit with much harder. He hopped back to his feet, much to the surprise of Kitana and Jade.

Liu looked impressed. Daniel Rand was starting to get more and more interesting by the minute.

Danny dodged Liu's attempt to punch him in the face, and parried the second blow. When Liu lunged low for a quick backhand, Danny counterattacked. Liu was surprised to see Danny within his guard. Then, he felt the hard elbow to his sternum. But Danny didn't let up, as he went on the offensive.

Just as Liu had done to him, Danny unleashed a series of rapid-fire punches to Liu's chest, followed by a fouble punch to the breastplate. But as Liu was reeling, Danny grabbed him and pulled him back within striking range. Several more blows to the sternum, followed by a quick backfist to the face. Another barrage of blows to the chest, at which Danny completed the assault with a hard roundhouse kick to the face, sending Liu spinning to the ground.

Liu's head was ringing. But he managed to get back to his feet. Feeling the blood pool in his mouth, he spat it out, the crimson landing on the hard stone pavement.

"Good. Now things are starting to get interesting," Liu said. Summoning his internal energies, Liu's hands became encased in flames.

Danny, for his part, despite his bruised face, looked impressed. "You don't know the half of it," he replied as he focused his own chi into his hands, the energies enshrouding them in a soft golden glow, similar to what Liu and his wife had seen with Johnny's own warrior bloodline.

Liu chuckled. "Oh, I was right about you," he said. "Now the gloves are off."

"After you," Danny replied.

The battle between the two dragons intensified.

* * *

From the sidelines, Johnny and the others watched as the two men gave the other no quarter. Fists and feet were flying, aside from the occasional chi blast. Thankfully, none of them were sent in their direction.

Johnny, for his part, was watching the match with a careful eye. " **This is the first time in years have I seen Liu this intense,** " he said.

Kitana had overheard him, as he spoke in Edenian to get her attention. She turned to him. "What do you mean?" she asked, in English.

"I can understand why Liu sought Danny out," Johnny said. "He felt like he was losing his edge, despite being one of the founders of the Red Lotus." He turned to look at Kitana. "I know this because I myself had been there." He turned back to the fight. "And despite the fight that I can give him, not to mention yourself and Jade, he felt like he was in a rut, so to speak. So he seeks out Iron Fist to give him the fight of his life."

"He told me the same thing earlier this week," Kitana concurred. "His sparring sessions with me had become lax."

"This intensity...the last time I seen the fire in Liu's eyes was...wow, back when he fought Shang and your stepdad," Johnny mused. "When was the last time you have seen Liu so focused?"

Kitana thought about it for a moment. " **The Sky Temple,** " she replied, this time in Edenian. " **After Shinnok was freed. During the fight with Raiden.** "

"I thought as much," Johnny said.

Kitana turned back to the match, her eyes watching her husband intently. Sure enough, Johnny was right. Perhaps there was more to the former actor than she realized.

* * *

Back to Liu and Danny...

Both men kicked the other, but the soles of their feet touched the other. Danny was on the offensive, forcing Liu to duck underneath a spinning back kick, and to hop back from the second spinning back kick aimed at his chest.

But as Danny Rand found out, Liu Kang can just as easily bring the fight to him. Using his Dragon Flare was out of the question, as Liu discovered that Danny can just as easily absorb the projectiles and fire it back.

The match – to Johnny – looked liked one of his old action films. Danny was put on the defensive, blocking several of Liu's fire-encased punches. The Immortal Iron Fist swatted a front snap kick, then ducked under Liu's roundhouse. The battle was getting intense by the second, with Liu driving his knee into Danny's chest, forcing the hero down to a knee.

Danny blocked the knife-hand chop to his neck and got back to his feet, forcing Liu back with a punch to the face. When Danny went for another punch, Liu grabbed his wrist, planted his foot into Danny's torso, and flipped him onto the letdai. Danny rolled out of the way to avoid Liu's foot stomping into his stomach.

Hoping back to his feet, Danny reversed the momentum, going on the attack. Liu raised his own foot to avoid the quick sweep from the superhero, then ducked under the quick roundhouse kick.

As Danny continued to fight Liu, he was formulating a plan inside his head. There was a reason as to why he was the brains to Luke's brawn back in their Hero for Hire days. There was a reason as to why he was the voice of reason.

But right now, he was in for the fight of his life. Well, one of the best fights he had ever since assuming the mantle of Iron Fist. What Johnny had told him about Liu had not done him justice. And he was tough. Real tough.

Liu Kang was tough. He was already tough back when he was Raiden's champion. His years in the Netherrealm had made him into an effective warrior under Quan Chi.

Danny wondered what would happen if Liu would meet T'Challa. That match would be epic.

Liu landed on his back, following being flung to the ground by Danny. He rolled out of the way, just as Danny's heel slammed into the ground where his head once was located, cracking the stone. He got back to his feet, and launched himself into the air. Danny had been caught by Liu's Bicycle Kick, the assassin's feet striking the superhero in the face and chest repeatedly before planting both feet into his chest, knocking him back.

Danny landed on his back, then he himself rolled out of the way to avoid Liu stomping his chest in. Performing a quick suicide kip-up, Danny was back on his feet. The backhand had stunned Liu, of which Danny followed through with another roundhouse to the face. The momentum shifted in Danny's favor. A series of powerful body blows from Danny made Liu cough up blood.

Then, Liu headbutted Danny, stunning him.

"WA-TAA!" Liu howled as he went into his signature Flying Dragon Kick, hoping to lay Danny out.

However, unknown to Liu, this is what Danny had anticipated. After being nailed with the attack the first time, Danny had formed a counter to that attack. And Liu realized his error when Danny met him in the air, perfoming his own flying kick. Danny's aim was true, and his foot slammed into Liu's head.

Kitana and Jade both winced from the impact. That blow looked like it had rattled some of Liu's teeth loose.

Danny landed on his feet. Liu landed hard on his side. From the look of things, Liu landed hard on his knee. Something that Danny also took notice of. Had Liu landed any harder, he would had blown out his kneecap.

Liu got to his feet...and cried out in pain as he stumbled, accidentally putting all of his weight on his bad leg. He fell to a knee. The only thing that stopped the former Shaolin from falling on his face was his hand supporting him.

"Damn it...my knee," Liu grunted. As much as he wanted to continue the match, his knee was telling him otherwise. Panting, he looked at Danny. "I yield. I can't stand."

'Well,' Johnny thought as Luke cheered. 'That was anti-climatic.'

Danny kept his guard up. Just in case it was a trick. He only lowered his guard when Kitana and Jade made it to Liu's side and helped him to his feet, Liu this time favoring his good leg.

('Confrontation' ends here)

Johnny did silently nod in approval. He had called it right. This was one of the best matches he had seen in a long time. The last time he saw Liu give it his all was back when he was fighting Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn. Although the outcome wasn't the one no one was expecting, it had been a really good match.

"Looks like Johnny was right about you," Danny said. "You're pretty good."

Liu was also holding his ribs. Despite losing, he was in good spirits, as Kitana and Jade went to work, using the healing spells to heal both fighters of their injuries. "The same can be said about you, Rand," he replied. "The victory is yours."

"Not how I wanted to win this match, though," Danny said.

"Not how I wanted to end this match, either," Liu grunted.

Luke and Johnny joined them soon after. Luke was grinning from ear-to-ear, while Johnny had a small grin.

"Johnny called it right," Kitana noted. "The last time you fought that hard, was Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn. Although it would have been better if you had won the match," she added in amusement.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him, Princess," Danny said. "Honestly, this was the best fight I had in a long time. And one can learn from defeat rather than gain an empty victory."

"Rest assured that I will learn from this loss," Liu replied. "Next time we meet, I hope that the outcome will be a lot different."

Danny grinned. "I look forward to the challenge, Liu Kang."

He extended his hand. Liu shook it. Despite their differences, Danny had found a new rival. And the person was the last person that he had expected. Liu was thinking along those same lines in regards to Danny himself.

* * *

Johnny's New York Loft, later on...

Johnny was thankful that Ravenna had decided to tag along with him on his visit to New York City. Luke and Danny wouldn't had believed him otherwise.

Aside from the home in San Francisco and Sonya's Union Vale hideaway, Johnny had a loft in SoHo. Due to the renovations at the time, Johnny and Sonya had been forced to reserve a room at the Waldorf-Astoria during the fundraiser event some time ago.

The patriarch of the Cage family held court in the living room, both he and his youngest were seated on the couch, while Danny and Luke sat opposite of them on the couch, their minds reeling from Ravenna using her mutant abilities to reveal Johnny's - and by extension, Sonya and Cassie's - past to the two Heroes for Hire.

The fact that Ravenna and her sister being mutants was not what had shocked them. But the fact that Johnny, Sonya and Cassie were heroes exiled from their home realm, fleeing from the wrath of a vengeful thunder god, and that Liu and Kitana had been slain, then brought back as revenants, then brought back to life by Jade herself.

The fact that both Johnny and Cassie had beaten a rampaging fallen Elder God spoke volumes.

"Sweet Christmas, that was intense," Luke said.

"Understatement of the year, Luke," Danny said. "That...was insane."

"And we thought we've seen it all," Luke added. "And Liu and Kitana were revenants...? Freaky."

"So, now you know the truth," Johnny said. "You know everything about myself and my family."

"You used to be an actor?" Luke asked. "Seriously?"

Johnny nodded. "Yup. 'Massive Strike,' Ninja Mime,' the 'Dragon Fist' series, to name a few."

"How long have you been here on this planet?" Danny asked.

"Oh...sixteen years, give or take," Johnny replied. "I look good for a guy pushing seventy."

"Cap has you beat by a decade," Danny joked.

"He had the advantage of being a Capsicle for about sixty years," Johnny pointed out.

That got a good laugh from everyone.

"Do you miss it?" Danny asked. "Being an actor?"

"I do. But in some cases, I can never truly quit," Johnny admitted. "Playing the industrialist here in this realm...I'd consider this my crowning achivement. But being a husband and dad...there's nothing else like it."

"You're preachin' to the choir here," Luke said. As a husband and father to a little girl, he understood all too well. There was nothing that he would do for Danielle and Jessica. The fact that he had turned the Purple Man's face into hamburger spoke volumes.

"And I thought I'd seen it all as Iron Fist," Danny said.

"Before Mortal Kombat...the only thing I was worried about was my next film project and what people think of me," Johnny said. "After Mortal Kombat and the Netherrealm War...nothing was simple. Not anymore."

"With your skills, you coulda been a hero," Luke said. "You and your whole family."

"Been there, done that. Got kidnapped, brainwashed, almost got killed," Johnny replied. "Raven and Cassie are the fighters now. Sonya and I are the protectors now." He then added with a wry grin, "Besides, I would hate to have put you two out of business."

"Or give Stark even more competition," Danny said.

"Speaking of Stark," Johnny said, "you know that the Act will pass. It's inevitable. The last thing Sonya and I need is Stark and his band of sellouts kicking down our door because I nor the girls have registered under the Act."

"Say no more, man," Luke said. "We'll keep your secret."

"Both in regards to your children and to your family's true origins," Danny added.

"Thank you."

* * *

Back at the Red Lotus Compound...

The healing and regen spells have repaired and restored his knee, but there would be some form of pain, meaning that Liu Kang would have to take it easy for the next couple of days.

Dressed in a shirt and a pair of shorts, Liu was watching Kitana perform a meditation kata with her battle fans. His leg was propped up, an icepack resting on his knee. A small table was placed near him, complete with two cups of steaming tea, one of the cups being covered with a top. Jade had ventured off into town to pick up some more supplies.

Despite his sore knee, Liu Kang was in a good mood. Sure the match didn't end in a way neither he nor Danny had anticipated - with even Danny saying that the victory was a fluke on his end - but it had rekindled the fire in him in such a way that not even Johnny Cage could have done.

The last time he had fought this hard was Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn. Despite losing, he had come to respect the Immortal Iron Fist, a respect that the superhero himself returned, despite him being an assassin.

"He was right, you know," Kitana said as she walked over to her husband, and pulled up a chair, her kata complete. She took the second cup, removed the lid, and took a sip of the hot tea. "Even now, that 'annoying buffoon' is full of surprises."

Liu sighed. "I know. The fact that he figured out that Mey was one of ours...and he is more than willing to keep her on not only as his secretary, but as a liaison between the both of us..."

"And the fact that he helped the both of us in regards to making our peace with our pasts...albeit inadvertently," added Kitana. "I think keeping Mey with Cage might prove to be beneficial for us in the long run."

Liu nodded. "I'll have Jade relay our request to Mey."

Kitana gestured to his knee. "Are you okay?"

"It's tender, but I'll be fine," the former Shaolin replied. "I got the best healer in the Red Lotus looking after me."

Kitana smiled. "Good answer," she said, giving her husband a peck on the cheek. She finished off her tea and picked up Liu's empty cup as well. "I'll be back."

Liu nodded and Kitana walked off. He looked out onto the letdai, where he replayed the battle back in his mind. He had made the same mistake that Kitana had done in regards to Cassie Cage back in Earthrealm - he underestimated his opponent. While Danny's victory had been a fluke, Liu saw it as a chance to improve himself even more.

 _"And one can learn from defeat rather than gain an empty victory."_

Liu chuckled softly. "Oh, I will learn from this defeat, Rand," he said to no one in particular. "And next time we cross paths, the outcome will be different."

He was still laughing to himself when Kitana returned.


	21. 13: Skirmish at Cage Inc, Part 4

**Chapter Thirteen: Skirmish at Cage Incorporated, Part Four**

 **Snafu's Notes:** Damn. I honestly thought that this was going to be the final part of the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated. But I was wrong. This chapter will set up the (hopefully) final part of the Skirmish at Cage Inc. This chapter had to be rewritten several times, as I did not like how this was going to go down. Plus, an old enemy makes an appearance and I have to credit VFSNAKE for one of his stories which inspired me in regards to Tasia's demise.

Red Lotus Compound – near the Chinese-Vietnamese border, eighteen years earlier.

When you know someone for over twenty years – with most of those years being spent in the Netherrealm as a revenant enslaved by a necromancer – you tend to pick up subtle hints that something is wrong with the person in question.

Such as, the case of a certain Edenian princess and former revenant.

Liu Kang was sharp, both in mind and in body. There was a reason why he was chosen as Raiden's champion and the chief enforcer of the revenants during his time in the Netherrealm. He knew that something was wrong with Kitana, as she looked...disturbed.

It had been a year since the confrontation between the both of them and the Cage family. Since then, both parties kept their distance. While the hatred towards his successor had waned, he didn't trust him, a sentiment shared with both Johnny and his ex-wife. However, despite Johnny's shallowness and Sonya's stubbornness, they both honored the non-aggression pact between them. The wounds stemming from the fiasco with Shinnok's Amulet were still too fresh.

Clad in his favorite pair of black-and-red pants and red tanktop, headband keeping the bangs out of his eyes, and his pair of black slippers Liu made his way across the compound grounds of the Red Lotus Society. He did, however, found Jade, clad in workout clothes, conducting the morning calisthenics for the thirty children that he and the Edenians had saved.

Even when she was a revenant, Kitana had adhered strictly to her own personal moral code when it came to children. When both her and Liu attacked his old Shaolin Temple, they both spared the children, but laid waste to the adults.

"Looking for Kitana?" Jade asked after dismissing the children.

"Yes. She seems...well, distracted," Liu replied.

Jade nodded. "I noticed that as well. She's at the private training grounds, if you are looking for her."

"Do you need any help with the children?" Liu asked.

Jade shook her head. "No. The children are a joy to be around. Go and find Kitana."

Liu nodded and walked away from the older woman.

* * *

If there was one thing that Kitana hated – with Shinnok, Quan Chi and Raiden topping that list – It was distractions.

As an assassin with thousands of years' worth of experience, with a kill count in both in Outworld and in Earthrealm, distractions can prove to be very lethal in her line of work.

Clad in a blue tanktop, a pair of black-and-blue track pants, hair tied back in a single braid, she tried to meditate in the recently-constructed training grounds, of which was exclusively for use by herself, Liu and Jade. The letdai itself was modeled after the one found in the Wu Shi Academy, complete with the Mortal Kombat Dragon carved into the stone platform.

While she trained Liu in the art of assassination, she herself was a student to Jade. As it turned out, she was a natural when it came to Edenian sorcery. The Red Lotus was starting to become a name both to respect and fear.

But aside from being distracted, Kitana was also troubled. The night before, she had watched as her undead self fought Jackson Briggs at the Krossroads, where she, Liu and the revenants alongside Quan Chi, had rode into an ambush.

 _"I don't understand, Kitana. I mean, I hate the things I did here. But you enjoy being a revenant!"_

 _"It suits me, Jax. I am a victim no longer."_

 _"Yeah, I know what you mean, but this ain't the way to assert yourself."_

Her years as a revenant had left a bitter taste in her mouth, even more so than her years as Shao Kahn's assassin. She hated to admit that being a revenant was probably the worst thing that has happened to her. Looking back, her mind and soul freed from Quan Chi's curse and purged from the Netherrealm's taint, she saw that she took sadistic delight in victimizing the defenseless, all under the guise of no longer being the victim herself.

"Kitana."

The former revenant was brought out of her reverie by the voice of Liu Kang. The former Shaolin/revenant stood above her, a concerned look on his face. He knelt down in front of her. "You look troubled. Is everything okay?"

"Do you remember when we first met? All those years ago?" Kitana asked.

Liu smiled. "Of course I do."

"Remember what you said? About the both of us meeting under different circumstances?" Kitana asked. "Have you ever dreamed that we would end up like this?"

"We sure did come a long way since Shang Tsung's Island," Liu admitted. "Although I'd honestly skip the whole part about us being revenants."

"Sareena was right," Kitana admitted. "Emotion freed the both of us. She told me as such the last time we've fought."

"But that is not what is bothering you, Kitana. I know you."

Kitana sighed. There was no reason in trying to deny anything to her lover. "I have been going through what Johnny and Sonya had told us in my head. Then, I find myself remembering the day Raiden delivered Shinnok's head. If what they both say its true, then Raiden is beyond redemption."

Liu frowned. "Don't tell me you feel some sympathy for that fool."

"Far from it," Kitana replied, eyes flashing. "How can I feel sympathy for a man who hold some of the blame for our deaths? Shinnok and Quan Chi both hold the lion's share, but it was how Raiden dealt with Shao Kahn's invasion that led to most of us being killed."

"You don't blame your mother for your death, not to mention the others?"

Kitana shook her head. "As strange as it may sound, Liu, no. I don't blame her. She was as much of a victim as we all were. I have made my peace with her when we were reunited in the Netherrealm." She paused for a moment. "Liu...we don't know how long we'll be here in this realm. But I know one thing for certain: sooner or later, Raiden will find out that the both of us are no longer in the Netherrealm. If he is gunning for the Cage family, then more than likely, he will come after us as well."

That line of thought made Liu pause. "Hmm...Johnny Cage is many things, an annoying buffoon being at the top of the list, but he is no liar. And even though we were on bad terms back in Earthrealm, the fact that Raiden is brainwashing his champions and Cassandra's former team disturbs even me."

"That is something I would expect either Quan Chi or Shinnok would do," Kitana said. "Ironic, as that was how Quan Chi enslaved us to his will."

Liu snorted. "Only difference is that we had to die in order for our souls to be enslaved." Now he looked pensive. Then, a stroke of inspiration. "Have you ever been to Seido?"

"Can't say that I have. You forgot that my stepfather was Shao Kahn. Outworld and the Realm of Order were not on good terms with him trying to conquer the realms. Why?"

"Well, Master Bo' Rai Cho sent both Lao and myself there to train under the Seidan Guard," Liu explained. "From what Quan Chi told me, Johnny Cage was also sent there to control his inborn powers, of which his daughter also was sent there following the Blood Code fiasco. If we are serious in making the Red Lotus into a force to be reckoned with, then we have to incorporate not only the Netherrealm training we both undertook, but also your Outworld Assassin training and the Seidan Guard basic training."

"Just how effective is the Seidan training?" Kitana asked.

Liu smiled meanly. "You and Jade will probably be bedridden for the week once you get through with it. Believe me when I say that both Lao and myself were recovering from that little trip."

Kitana wasn't convinced. "Liu...I'm 10,000 years old..."

"...not counting the 25 years spent in the Netherrealm," Liu snorted, which earned him a punch in the arm. "Ow."

"As I was saying, I've seen it all in my long, long life," Kitana said. "Seidan combat training can't be that difficult. I was trained by Shao Kahn, after all."

"Believe me when I say that nothing has prepared you for this, beloved," Liu insisted.

"But you do raise an interesting point," Kitana conceded. "Raiden will come for us and we need to be prepared." Another beat. "You do realize that if Raiden does come for our heads, then that means we have to join forces with Cage and his family, right?"

Liu nodded. "'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,' it seems," he replied. "Raiden once told me about Johnny that despite his shallowness and ego, that he was a hero, although Cage didn't realize it just yet. His surviving against Shinnok, of which Cassandra herself repeated that same feat, can attest to that fact."

"You think that it's because of the Seidan basic training that Cassandra Cage was able to survive against myself, my mother and Shinnok?" Kitana asked.

"It seems that way. That and the warrior bloodline she had inherited from her father."

Kitana pondered Liu's proposal over her head. "The idea has merit, Liu. I think we can incorporate that into the training." Now, Kitana saw that Liu looked pensive. "What? What is it?"

"What would you say if I asked you to marry me?" Liu asked.

Kitana blinked. "What brought this about?"

"We've known each other for a long time," Liu admitted. "Even back on Shang Tsung's Island, I was attracted to you...despite the fact that you were trying to kill me. Now that we are no longer bound to neither the Netherrealm or Earthrealm, I just want you."

Kitana smiled. She caressed her lover's face with her hand. "Oh, my love...you already have me."

"So is that a yes?"

"Do you have to ask, Liu? Of course I'll marry you."

Liu smiled sadly. "I wish that I could give you a wedding befitting that of a princess..."

"Liu," Kitana cut him off by placing a single finger on his lips. "Don't. A simple wedding with just you and Jade will be enough for me."

* * *

The Helicarrier, en route to Cage Incorporated...

Ravenna Cage was nervous. She was no stranger when it came to fighting, or even participating in a war, as while she herself was a civilian, she had fought in the Siege alongside her parents and sister.

She had long since knew about her family's origins. Even now, she was nervous.

She had claimed a small spot in the Helicarrier's mess hall, flanked by her friends, Magik and Hope; the former checking out Soulsword, while the latter locked and loaded one of her oversized firearms. Ravenna looked at her hands. Despite gripping the scabbard of her O-katana in her hands, they were shaking.

Fighting supervillains was easy enough. But an insane thunder god and her family's brainwashed friends and allies? A completely different story altogether.

Ravenna had lived in the shadow of her parents and Cassie for most of her life. But she had to admit that her parents and sister loved her, and Ravenna idolized her big sister, of which was shared by both Magik and Hope, seeing as how Cassie mentored all three.

"I know that look," Cassie's voice broke her thoughts. "I had the same look when I joined the military the first time around."

The elder sibling took a seat opposite her sister and her friends. Cassie took notice that Ravenna's hands were also shaking. "I also had the same problem with my hands as well. It gets easier with time."

"Where's Mom and Dad?" Ravenna asked.

"Spending time with Darren," Cassie replied, an evil smirk on her face.

"You just got through visiting him as well," Magik noted, eying the dried blood on Cassie's gloves. "Not that I really blame you. Had it been up to me, I'd send his ass alongside Kano to Limbo. See how they like spending twenty years there." The blonde Russian regarded Cassie for a moment. "You never cease to amaze me, Cassie. Who'd knew you'd turn out to be a borderline sociopath?"

"Losing your team and being screwed over by a crooked thunder god does that to you," Cassie replied. "Fortunately, I have my family and Simon to keep me in check."

"Of that, I'm sure," Magik dryly noted in Russian.

Cassie ignored the underlying meaning in Magik's voice and turned back to her sister. "Scared?"

Ravenna nodded. "Yeah."

"Good," Cassie said, nodding. "It means you're not stupid."

Ravenna frowned. "You're a real confidence builder, Cassie."

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "Mom said the same thing to me when I first signed on to S-F."

"Do we have a plan in dealing with Kano and the Black Dragon?" Hope asked.

Cassie nodded. "We do. Mom and I will deal with Kano. Dad got Jarek. Luke Cage and The Thing will keep Tremor occupied."

"Which leaves Tasia," Ravenna surmised. She sighed. "I guess I'll deal with her."

"Think you can handle her?" Cassie asked.

Ravenna made a face. "I was trained by Psylocke and Kitty Pryde," she snorted. "I think I can handle a ninja."

"And I was trained by Mom and Dad, and yet, I was kidnapped by Kano alongside Jacqui," Cassie snorted. "I trained you alongside our parents. Don't make the same mistakes we did."

Ravenna sighed. "I know."

"If I may..."

Everyone turned to Magik. "What?" Cassie asked.

"Kano and the others don't fight with honor, so why should you?" the sorceress posed.

"That lesson was drilled into our heads by Dad," Cassie said, with Ravenna nodding. "So out with it. What do you have in mind?"

Magik smirked. "As you know, I spent time in Limbo training under Belasco, which meant that he had picked up many a spell and curse during his tenure as ruler of Limbo. I found one that is quite nasty: **Satsuriku no Kyoushuu.** "

"' **Satsuriku no Kyoushuu?** '" Ravenna repeated. She then translated to Hope, as she didn't speak Japanese. After Magik explained what the curse can do, Ravenna was intrigued. "Okay. So what do I need to do?"

"It involves a bit of blood magic on my part," Magik explained. "Unsheathe your sword, please."

Cassie's eye twitched at the phrase 'blood magic.'

Magik materialized a small knife and drew blood when she ran the blade upon the palm. Chanting in an ancient Slavic language, she ran her cut hand along the blade of the O-katana. The blood reacted quickly, sizzling and popping as if it was butter on a hot stove before being absorbed into the blade.

"I really...really hate blood magik," Cassie groused.

"Be thankful that you're not on the receiving end of this, Cassie," Magik replied. To Ravenna, she said, "The more blood spilled, the more painful it will be for its victim once the curse take effect."

"So the more bad guys I kill, the curse's potency increases," Ravenna surmised.

Magik nodded. "Now, in order for the curse to be effective, I need some of your blood as well, Cassie. As you were the one who knows Tasia by her appearance alone, your blood and your hatred of the Black Dragon for what ther have done will make the curse lethal and in my case, unable to reverse it."

Cassie sighed. "Fine. Get this over with," she said as she removed one of her gloves and extended her hand.

Magik nodded. She ran the blade along Cassie's palm, drawing blood. Following Magik's example, Cassie raised her hand over Ravenna's sword, with Magik suggesting that Cassie picture Tasia's face in her mind. Cassie did so and her blood had the same reaction as Magik's had done. After Magik healed her hand, Cassie slipped the glove back on and Ravenna sheathed her sword.

"All you got to do is impale Tasia," Magik said. "The curse will do the rest."

"Easier said than done," Cassie said. "Be careful, Raven. Tasia is just as dangerous as Kano. I know from experience."

Ravenna nodded.

* * *

Cage Incorporated, with Ravenna and Tasia...

(Cue 'Premonition' from Final Fantasy VIII)

Tasia was the finest swordswoman in the Black Dragon. Many a man had fell before her blades and her ninjitsu skills. But now, as she stood, dual katanas drawn and ready, she stared down her opponent.

She looked a lot like Cassie Cage, back when Kano had given the order to kidnap both her and Jacqui, save that the hair color was similar to that of her father's and that it had red streaks in the strands. From what she had seen of the bodies of the Hand and her Black Dragon comrades left in her wake, she was a skilled warrior, and a deadly prodigy in the art of swordplay. That O-katana that she had in her hands was finely crafted...and stained with the blood of those who had fallen before her.

Ravenna held her sword in a basic kendo stance (think Haohmaru's stance). Nothing fancy for her. 'Being fancy tends to get you killed,' was what Psylocke had told her back when she was the elder woman's student. Kitty also said the same thing, as did Logan.

Ravenna's blue eyes were unblinking as she stared into Tasia's emotionless brown eyes. Both women had killed, with Tasia having the higher body count. But with the way Ravenna moved, and how she carved through the Black Dragon and Hand with ease, Tasia knew that she was in for the fight of her life.

'Shame,' the older woman thought. 'She would have made a fine pupil.'

Tasia decided to test her defenses. But before she could do so, she was forced to raise her blades to block Ravenna's own. Sparks kicked off the metal, as Ravenna was surprised to see that her adamantium blade had not cut Tasia's blade in two.

'Huh. Interesting,' Ravenna thought.

Tasia counterattacked, but was unable to get through Ravenna's guard. She tried to go low and slash at Ravenna's knees, but Ravenna hopped out of her range, causing the attack to miss and went back into her defensive stance.

"Not bad," Tasia complimented.

"I learned from the best," Ravenna replied. She regarded her blade for a moment. "I'm surprised to see that your blades have not shattered by now. Mine is forged from adamantium, said to be unbreakable."

Tasia went on the attack. Ravenna parries, high, then a quick flick of the wrist and Tasia's other blade was blocked as well.

Hopping back, Tasia disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Unknown to Ravenna, this is what she was expecting Tasia to do, as she was unable to land a single hit on her person.

"Hey! We're not done yet!" Ravenna shouted. "Come back here!"

"All in due time, Ravenna," Tasia's disembodied voice replied. "How would you like to die, Ravenna? Quick and clean? Or slow and painful?"

Ravenna closed her eyes. "That is the question..." She opened them, spun around, and thrust. The undeniable sound of steel slicing through flesh was heard, as Ravenna's blade seem to disappear, only to reappear, with a section missing in the middle.

"...I should be asking you," Ravenna finished as she released her sword, as Tasia materialized, a look of shock on her face.

('Premonition' ends. 'The Curse' from Ninja Gaiden 3 begins to play)

When asked about what had happened with Tasia later on, Ravenna still wouldn't believe what she had seen, despite Magik explaining to her what had happened. Her O-Katana, still sticking out of Tasia, began to glow an angry red as crimson-and-black energies began to engulf it. Then, the blade itself appear to have dissolved, starting from the blade and ending at the handle, leaving only the stomach wound.

Ravenna also swore that she could hear Magik chanting, her voice like a zephyr on the wind.

A swirling vortex of energies – crimson and black – began to manifest around Tasia. Or more specifically, both her hands. Despite having been stabbed, Tasia screamed in agony as the katanas in her hands had like Ravenna's sword, dissolved into her hands. The pain was unlike she had experiences, and given the Black Dragon's training methods, she was no stranger to pain.

But this...this was as if she had submerged both her hands in molten metal and let it burn off the flesh and muscle.

From the tips of her fingers to the elbow, red, bulging veins began to appear, looking like hideous scars. And the veins were slowly crawling up her arms in a slow, but steady rate. Tasia's screams became louder as she rolled along the floor in agony.

It was at that moment, that Magik and Hope Summers made their entrance via one of Magik's stepping disks; the former using the aforementioned disks to send the attacking Black Dragon and Hand ninja into Limbo, where they were torn apart by its denziens, or met their end via Soulsword, while the latter used her mutant powers and her various firearms to mete out much-deserved justice.

Grinning from ear-to-ear, Magik turned to Ravenna. "So...what do you think of my little curse?"

Ravenna turned back to the screaming Tasia. "I'm glad you're on our side. I'd hate to think what would happen if you were a bad guy."

"Your sister would be disappointed in me," Magik replied. "Not to say that I was tempted. And I thought I was the sociopath. Cassie clearly has issues."

Ravenna rolled her eyes. That much was true, and most of it wasn't her own fault.

"I think you got Cassie beat," Hope noted in a dry tone.

Magik barked out a laugh and turned back to Tasia. "Open your eyes, Tasia of the Black Dragon!" she intoned in Russian. "Open your eyes and see the lives that you had destroyed with your bare hands!"

"What...WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Tasia screamed, her self-control gone.

Magik's grin was now borderline psychotic. "Oh...it's known by many names. **Satsuriku no Kyoushuu. Khvatka ubiystva.** In English, it's name is 'Evil Hand of Slaughter.' But I prefer 'Grip of Murder.' It has a...certain majesty to it, don't you think? Well, Belasco seem to think so."

Tasia attempted to lunge at Ravenna, but came up short. "The...the pain...!" she screamed.

Magik slowly circled the cursed woman. "You've been a member of the Black Dragon for how long? Twenty years? Twenty-five?"

"Thirty years," Hope said, having read Tasia's mind. "Kano recruited you when you were fifteen."

Magik let out a whistle. "Damn. That's a long time. And that makes you at least four years younger than Cassie." She yanked her boot free when Tasia grabbed her.

"Want to know why you are in such pain, Tasia? You are mostly responsible for the pain," Ravenna said. "According to our resident sorceress here, the curse's effectiveness is measured by the number of people that you killed. The curse is more potent not only because of the lives you had taken, but thanks to Cassie giving her blood as well. You remember my sister, don't you, Tasia? You and Jarek kidnapped her and her best friend."

"It...it was Kano...!" Tasia screamed. "He gave the order!"

"Oh, I know he did. And you carried it out, cutting down innocent men and women in the process," Ravenna noted. She crouched down. In layman's terms, you merely rot from the inside out, until the very souls of your victims consume you."

"And your kill count is...exactly six hundred and thirty-two," Ravenna noted. "Add the twenty from this day alone..."

"No wonder it's spreading so fast," Hope said. "Imagine if someone like Apocalypse or Mr. Sinister was cursed with this..."

"The pain would be even worse for the both of them," Magik chuckled.

Now, the veins were seeping along Tasia's neck. Giving Magik the most hate-filled glare she could as her eyes began to turn red, she screamed, "Go...to HELL!"

Magik chuckled darkly. "I'm its ruler. Have a nice day."

Tasia let out one final scream before the curse consumed her, destroying her body, reducing it to nothingness. Not even her clothes and armor remained.

('The Curse' ends here)

In the spot where Tasia once was, however, were three items; Ravenna's sword and Tasia's dual katanas, now purified.

The dual katanas would make for nice battle trophies, Ravenna realized as she walked over to her O-katana and picked it up.

"Well," a male voice said, "that was...interesting, to say the least."

He emerged from the shadows. A man, Chinese in origin, muscular, his long hair streaked with gray, tied back in a ponytail, the goatee also streaked in grey, clad in all black; vest, pants and boots.

Shang Tsung approached Ravenna, hands behind his back. "A curse that rots the victim from the inside...this realm grows even more interesting the more I learn from it."

Ravenna recognized the man from her parents' memories. He was older, but there was no denying who he was.

"You...you're Shang Tsung."

This was followed by Ravenna firing off a mental message to her sister. ' **Cassie! Need a little help here!** '

' **I got backup incoming!** ' Cassie replied. ' **Hold on!** '

Shang bowed. "And you are Ravenna Cage. I see the resemblance. You have your mother's looks. Although I am rather surprised that someone as shallow as Johnny Cage was able to woo someone the likes of Sonya Blade."

"My father always had that talent," Ravenna sniped. "Just as he was able to do what no one else could do."

"Yes, although I was very surprised to find out that he had defeated Shinnok," Shang noted. "A feat in which was repeated by your sister. He has come a long way from my island all those years ago. Sonya as well. And you have the potential to be even greater than your parents and Cassandra combined."

Shang looked at Tasia's purified katanas and back at Magik. "What I have seen has confirmed my suspicions. You are a sorceress, Illyana Rasputin."

"Not just any sorceress," Magik replied. "The Sorceress Supreme."

"Yet, many leagues below me in skill," Shang rebuked. "But I know raw potential when I see it. Potential that is being wasted in present company. I, for one, would like to see that potential flourish."

"So you're offering me an apprenticeship?" Magik asked, unimpressed.

Shang nodded. "Join me, Magik. Become my and I will make you my student in the Black Arts. Join me and I will show you powers beyond your mortal imagining."

"Whatever you're offering, I've seen it already," Magik replied. "You've not seen what I've seen, or experienced."

Shang sighed. "A pity."

Ravenna realized that Shang was trying to distract her and her friends. Her intuition proved to be correct as she jumped backwards...

...just as a pair of bloodied katanas impaled the floor where she stood moments earlier. Said pair of bloodied katanas were held by a figure in a bloodied cloak.

The figure rose to its full height, effortlessly pulling out the dual katanas out of the floor without difficulty as if they were merely toys. Ravenna counterattacked, slashing at the newcomer, who dodged the attack, hopping backwards just as Ravenna had done. But Ravenna had succeeded in slashing off the clasp which held the bloody cloak in place.

When the cloak fell free, only then, was the newcomer's identity was revealed.

A woman, standing as tall as her sister and mother, clad in an armored black catsuit that left the arms bare, but the forearms were covered in dark-colored forearm guards. A pair of boots covered her feet, while there was a strap on her right thigh, complete with several kunai.

Her hair, red as the blood on her katanas, was cut short, ending at her neckline. The irises of her eyes was also red in color. The three mutant girls recognized her almost instantly from Cassie's memories.

A redheaded woman, a genetic experiment created by Shao Kahn by means of the blood of countless warriors. The more blood spilled on her, the stronger she would become.

The same woman who would not only go on to torture Cassie's best friend by beating her senseless, but also inflicted the Blood Code on both Cassie and Jacqui before unleashing them on her parents.

" _ **Johnny...Sonya...you probably spent more time arguing with each other than looking for us. Good thing we were saved by the Blood Code.**_ "

" _ **This island is our home now. And Reiko is our god. And we're going to kill you both to prove it.**_ "

Skarlet's grin showed nothing but malice. "Ravenna Cage...you look just like Cassandra at that age. I take it that your sister has told you of me?"

Ravenna glared down at the construct. "Skarlet...of course she's told me. She has also told me about what you had done to both her and Jacqui."

"Ah...the Blood Code. Between your sister and Jacqueline, your sister screamed the loudest when I inflicted the Blood Code on her."

If Skarlet was hoping to bait Ravenna into attacking, she was disappointed when Ravenna didn't take the bait.

"I want Cassandra alive, Skarlet," Shang ordered. "Kano and the Black Dragon may have failed in eliminating Ravenna's sister and parents, but Lord Raiden may have a use for her as a barganing chip in regards to her parents."

"You want me," Ravenna threatened, "you're gonna have to earn it!"

"With pleasure," Shang replied. To Skarlet, he said, "Take the girl. Kill the other two"

Skarlet took a step forward...

...and was forced to duck in order to avoid the flying body of the Black Dragon ninja that had been sent in her general direction. The body continued on, heading for Shang, before he blasted it to pieces with a Flaming Skull.

The culprit soon made his presence known. A dark-skinned, bald-headed man, built like a dump truck, clad in a simple black T-shirt which had been shredded due to repeated attacks on his person by the Hand and the Black Dragon, denim jeans and boots, metal wristguards covering his forearms.

For a split-second, both Shang and Skarlet thought they were looking at Jax. Then they both remembered that he was back in Earthrealm.

Ravenna smirked. Leave it to her sister to bring Luke Cage to the party.

Luke said nothing, his expression showing that he was here to kick ass. He ripped off what remained of his shirt, and assumed a bodybuilder's front relaxed pose; the lats being flared as wide as he could make them, arms in a relaxed flare, before assuming a 'most muscular' pose; forcing his hands – balled into fists – together while contracting his upper muscles. Intimidation tactics on his end.

Then again, Luke Cage hasn't dealt with the likes of Shang Tsung, or Skarlet.

Skarlet tried her luck with the Hero for Hire. She leapt at the man, sais raised, and drove them down, hoping to impale the man with her katanas.

 **TING.**

Skarlet's eyes widened in surprise when her blades not only didn't make a dent in Luke's skin, but shattered on impact.

"Unbreakable skin," Luke replied, answering Skarlet's unspoken question, right before backhanding her away from him.

Shang cocked an eyebrow. "Unbreakable skin? Interesting. We shall see whether or not that remains to be true after the Tarkarta are finished with you."

A portal shimmered into existence behind him. Nine Tarkartan warriors emerged, blades drawn, looking for blood. Skarlet, in the meantime, had retrieved Tasia's katanas and sliced open the bodies of the fallen Black Dragons and Hand ninja, the blood spraying all over her body.

Luke made a face. "Seriously. Sweet Christmas, woman!"

"You should have surrendered, Ravenna," Shang said. "Now, your friends shall die and you will be responsible for leading them to their deaths."

 **SNIKT.**

Ravenna smirked. She recognized that sound anywhere, as did her friends and Luke.

"Now it's a party," Luke said.

Walking into the light, adamantium claws drawn, Wolverine surveyed the scene before him. Like Luke, he had heeded Cassie's call to help Ravenna and her friends.

If looks could kill, then Shang Tsung would have been turned to ash by the glare that Wolverine was giving him. Given the history that Logan had with the Cage family, it was safe to say that the little feral Canadian had a soft spot for Cassie and Ravenna.

Then again, anyone that Logan had mentored fell under that category; Jubilee, Laura Kinney and Kitty Pryde, just to name a few.

Logan looked at Skarlet, drenched in blood and frowned. She looked human, but she was anything but. Given what he knew about her from Cassie's memories, he opted to let Luke handle her.

"This isn't your fight," Logan said when Ravenna, Magik and Hope flanked him.

"No way are we letting you have all the fun, Logan," Magik replied.

Deciding not to argue, Logan kept his mouth shut.

Shang barked out an order in Tarkartan and stepped back, deciding to play the role of spectator instead of participant. The Tarkarta gathered drew their blades. Skarlet readied her new katanas as she stared down Luke Cage, crimson eyes alight in fury.

Her body ached all over, but one thing Ravenna Cage knew for sure, the night was far from over.


	22. 14: Skirmish At Cage Inc, Conclusion

**Chapter Fourteen: Skirmish at Cage Incorporated, Conclusion**

Snafu's Notes: Dammit, Dammit DAMMIT! I was finished with this chapter and then the computer decided to go ass up and give me a Blue Screen of Death! This is a rewrite. FUCK! Because of this, the chapter is kinda short, and I apologize.

With Kitana and Mileena...

(Cue 'Hardhome, Part One' at the 1:22 mark)

The fans had long since been discarded, which were fine with Kitana, as she laid into her hideous clone with her fists and feet.

Mileena screamed in pain as Kitana's clawed gauntlets raked across her torso, drawing even more blood. This was followed by Kitana's gauntlet-covered fist slamming into Mileena's torso, followed by a hard punch to the face. Kitana repeated the combo two more times, each time striking Mileena in the torso and face, before the backhand knocked the clone to the floor.

Growing up as an assassin, Kitana had learned her share of fighting styles, some traditional, while others were more unorthodox. The Eagle Claw was originally her go-to style of choice, followed by Ba Gua. After her death and transformation into a revenant, Kitana had saw that the styles were ineffective. If someone the likes of Cassandra Cage could beat her, then she needed a more effective style.

About a year after forming the Red Lotus, she had came across a retired Chinese officer performing a Bajiquan kata. Kitana had been mesmerized by the style's grace and power. That was the first style she had learned, gaining mastery within two years.

When her teacher died, Kitana had paid for the funeral.

Liu had commented that Bajiquan played to her strengths. Jade also seconded Liu's claims.

The second style that Kitana learned was Wing Chun, her teacher being a retired grandmaster, and second-generation practitioner. It took Kitana three years to master that style, absorbing its knowledge like a sponge to water.

Combined with the assassination techniques she learned from her time in Outworld and the brutal Netherrealm training she had endured while a revenant, Kitana had become even more dangerous.

A lesson that Mileena was learning the hard way.

She had thought that given her newfound strength imbued to her by Shang Tsung, that Kitana would easily fall. That was not the case. Kitana was not Elektra. There was a reason why she was Shao Kahn's top assassin before her defection. And in the nineteen years from Earthrealm and the Netherrealm, Kitana had honed her killer instinct.

Kitana raised her leg then brought it down, going in a perfect split. Mileena barely dodged the attempt, but Kitana was back on her feet. Swatting Mileena's kick to the side, she knew that Mileena would follow up with a Ground Roll, of which she dodged by jumping in the air, legs stretched in a split. Upon landing, Kitana executed the Square Boost, launching herself ass-first towards Mileena.

Mileena's back exploded in pain as she was sent face down into the ground.

Mileena got back to her feet and charged. Kitana blocked and parried her attacks. What made Mileena even madder was the fact that Kitana wasn't even looking at her, her body and head turned profile as she blocked and swatted, showing that she had long surpassed Mileena in skill. A hard elbow to the face followed by a quick uppercut, and Mileena was down on the ground yet again.

Materializing a pair of steel fans in her bladed hands, Kitana slowly approached Mileena, like a predator stalking her prey. When Mileena got back to her feet, she was forced to back away as Kitana approached.

Kitana savored the look of panicked fear in Mileena's eyes. Ironically, Sareena had the same look of fear, of desperation in her own eyes, as she pleaded with her during the S-F ambush at the Krossroads.

"What's wrong, sister?" Kitana sneered. "Isn't this what you wanted? I thought you wanted to be a family." Her tone was full of false cheer.

"You...how could you be so strong?!" Mileena screamed. "It's impossible! YOU CAN'T BE STRONGER THAN ME!"

"I was always stronger than you," Kitana replied. "I merely hid my strength." She unfurled the fans. "How does it feel to be the victim, sister?" she taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm at calling Mileena 'sister.' "Being the victim suits you."

"You never stopped being the victim!" Mileena shouted.

"I am a victim no longer," Kitana replied. "Now die."

She threw the fans. Mileena barely dodged them. The glaive that once belonged to Jade nearly decapitated her. Once again, Mileena was forced to retreat.

This time, Kitana broke into a run. Rounding the corner, she saw Mileena trying to open the door which lead to the Main Building's first floor lobby.

Without a word of warning, Kitana leapt into the air, emulating her husband, and planted both feet into Mileena's back, sending her through the door and landing in a heap on the floor.

Upon entering the main lobby, Kitana found herself inside a war zone. Bodies of Tarkarta were strewn all over the place, with Ravenna Cage, Magik and Hope fighting what remained of them alongside Logan. Skarlet just had been punched across the lobby by Luke Cage, the chunk of concrete that was around his fist shattering upon impact.

And Shang Tsung was watching the entire debacle as a spectator.

Kitana saw him, and in her mind, saw Jade's broken and burned body in her arms. Mileena was immediately forgotten.

Kitana's voice was one of rage mixed with anger. "YOU!"

* * *

At the same time, with Luke and Skarlet...

(Cue 'Destroyed City' from MKX)

The katanas now rendered useless, Skarlet landed the first blow on Luke, knocking him to the ground with a flying side kick to the face.

Luke actually felt some of his teeth rattle from the impact. He looked up at the angry redhead. "There's no way we can talk this out?" he asked.

Skarlet responded by grabbing Luke by the throat, hoisting him over her shoulders, and slamming him onto the floor.

"Guess not," he replied as he rolled out of the way, Skarlet's booted foot smashing into the floor where his head used to be.

Luke brought his arm up, blocking Skarlet's kicks. She ducked under the right cross, but when she began to tag his ribs, a hard backhand made the blood construct stagger back several steps. The Hero for Hire went on the attack, Skarlet forcing to block the monstrous impacts from Luke's fists.

Had she been human, Skarlet knew that the attacks would had pulverized her ribs.

A scream came from Skarlet's gullet as her foot exploded in pain. Luke had stomped on her foot. Hard. Clasping his hands together, Luke slammed them in an underhand hammer punch that knocked Skarlet into the air. He then followed through with a vicious overhead strike that slammed the blood ninja into the floor, leaving a sizable impact crater from where she was slammed into the ground.

"Yeah!" Luke shouted. "Now what?!"

Not letting up on his assault, Luke grabbed Skarlet, hoisted her to her feet, and slammed her into the wall. Skarlet was lifted off her feet from the vicious body blow. Then her head snapped to the side from the bone-crunching haymaker.

After a barrage of blows, Luke wound up for the goodnight punch, which was aimed at her head. But instead of caving her head in, Skarlet dodged, and Luke's fist and forearm wound up inside the wall. However, before Skarlet could rally, Luke yanked his hand out, his fist encased in a chunk of concrete, and cold-cocked Skarlet in the face, the concrete breaking from the impact, sending the redheaded woman flying.

"Damn," Luke said as he rung his hand out. "What a wildcat."

Much to his surprise, Skarlet rose from the ground. Cracking her neck muscles, crimson eyes alight in fury as she stared at the superhero.

"You don't know when to quit, do you?" Luke taunted. He beckoned to Skarlet. "Come get some, Red."

Skarlet looked down and saw that she was standing next to several Tarkarta bodies.

Skarlet charged. Within a second, she was within Luke's guard. Two super-powered rapid punches to the face, followed by a spinning back kick to the skull knocked Luke back.

Then, as Luke had done, Skarlet picked up a chunk of metal, and swung the impromptu club at Luke's head. However, Luke saw it coming, and grabbed it with one massive hand. Then, much to Skarlet's surprise, Luke smashed the metal club in one hand, and spinning around, used the piece in his hand to strike Skarlet in the face.

Then he nearly folded Skarlet in half when he charged into her torso, shoulder-first, driving her into the wall.

"And that's how we do it in Harlem," Luke said, grinning at the sight of the blood ninja being planted into the wall. "I hope Cage is insured for this..."

('Destroyed City' ends here)

 **BANG.**

Luke spun around, just in time to see Mileena crashing through the door, thanks to Kitana dropkicking her through the double doors. Logan and the three mutants also turned to the source of the noise, having dispatched the attacking Tarkarta.

"YOU!" Kitana's voice was laced with anger and rage.

And it was directed at Shang Tsung.

* * *

At the same time, with Logan...

(Cue 'Wolverine's Theme' from Marvel Super Heroes)

The berserker rage was upon Logan, and the hairy little Canadian was drunk with it. He was in his element. Kill or be killed.

With the revelations now revealed about Cassie and the other exiled kombatants, not to mention the threat the threat that Raiden and his cohorts now posed for their home, it put the Cage family in a different light.

Cassie was a hero. Her parents were heroes. Ravenna Cage came from a storied heritage. He had helped trained both sisters, and he knew what they were capable of.

But not even he had seen the likes of what Earthrealm can muster, such as an attack force of screaming Tarkarta warriors, arm blades extended, frenzied, looking for blood.

Five of them broke off from the horde, and made a beeline towards Logan himself. He knew that Ravenna and her friends can handle themselves, which meant that he need not worry about them.

Logan's face scrunched up from underneath his mask. 'These bastards smell even worse alive than dead,' he thought.

The Tarkarta were known to be mean, vicious and foul. Then again, so was James Logan Howlett.

Logan went low, sliding on the ground, claws-first, slicing through the first Tarkarta's Achilles' tendons, and gaining some space between himself and the other four Tarkarta, the fifth now screaming in pain as he collapses onto the floor, his mobility now gone, but still alive.

Getting back to a vertical base, Logan spun around and slashed at the second Tarkarta's back, the razor-sharp adamantium claws severing his attacker's spine. The Tarkarta was put down permanently when Logan drove his claws into the back of his skull, killing it.

'Scratch one,' Logan thought.

The next Tarkarta ended up with his insides on the outside, thanks to a well-placed slash across its torso. The next slash severed its jugular.

'Scratch two.'

The next two decided to attack Logan at the same time. Logan charged at them both. He ducked under the Tarkarta's attempt to decapitate him (like that would stop him), and kicked his partner away, causing him to stumble over the still-screaming Tarkarta on the floor.

Sheating his claws, Wolverine chambered his fist back, and slugged the attacking Tarkarta with all his might. Not only did he knocked out some of his teeth, but the vicious impact had broken the Tarkarta's neck, its brain disconnecting from the rest of its body.

'That's three.'

The Tarkarta that had stumbled over his fallen comrade decided to put him out of his misery by decapitating the crippled monster, thus silencing his screams.

That one move would prove to be fatal for the Tarkarta, as Logan was upon him like a vengeance. Wolverine's claws easily sliced through his blades as the smaller man tore into the now-defenseless Tarkarta with his blades. By the time Logan was finished, the Tarkarta was missing its head and all its limbs.

Overkill was underrated. It was a thought that Logan shared with Cassie.

 **BANG.**

Logan spun around, just in time to see Mileena being kicked through a set of double doors, with Kitana being the culprit.

Then, she caught sight of Shang, still watching from the sidelines. "YOU!"

('Wolverine's Theme' ends here)

* * *

At the same time, with Ravenna, Hope and Magik...

(Cue 'Red Like Roses II' from RWBY)

While Logan dealt with five of the twenty Tarkarta, the other fifteen swarmed the three female mutants.

Like Logan's blades, Ravenna's O-katana was forged from Adamantium. So imaging the surprize of the first Tarkarta when his arm blades did not slice Ravenna's sword in two. His shock was short-lived as Ravenna's blade sliced through his neck, cutting through his flesh, muscle and bone. His head rolled along the ground, his body keeling over.

Hopping on the couch to avoid being impaled by a Tarkartan warrior, Ravenna leapt into the air, her body twisting as she somersaulted up and over two more Tarkartans. Going to her knees, to duck under a Tarkartan's attempt to stab her shoulder, she impaled the attacker in the heart, killing him instantly.

Hopping back to her feet, but leaving her sword impaled inside the still-standing Tarkarta, Ravenna caught the third with a rabbit punch to the trachea, and quickly retrieved her sword. The Shadow Kick that followed broke his nose, driving the cartilage to its brain. Death was instant.

Then, inspired by her father, she quickly brought her sword in a vicious underhand swing, catching the Tarkarta square in the groin, making him scream.

Even Shang Tsung winced from the attack.

The Tarkarta's screams abruptly cut off when Ravenna decapitated him.

Magik calmly parried a Tarkartan's blade arm with Soulsword, and kicked another that was trying to attack her from behind, knocking him backwards. When a third tried to attack from Magik's left, she merely summoned a stepping disk and the Tarkartan fell inside.

A second disk opened up, and the mangled remains of the Tarkarta fell to the floor, the denziens of Liimbo having torn it apart.

Both disks disappeared and Magik returned to battle. Stepping back to avoid a blade swipe to her face, Magik sensed two more Tarkarta attempting to jump her from behind. Arching her body backwards as if she was performing a back-bend, but stopping halfway, Magik lashed out with Soulsword, catching both Tarkarta in their throats.

As the two Tarkarta sank to their knees, their life blood ebbing away, Hope Summers brought forth one of her signature custom-built firearms. When your best friend's sister just so happened to teach you how to fight, not to mention that their mother was in command of an elite special forces unit, one tends to enjoy the perks that goes with the job.

Rather than go with the oversized fireams favored by Cable, Hope went for something a bit more practical for this situation - a SRM Arms Model 1216 shotgun. A blowback semi-automatic shotgun with an unusual feature; a sixteen-round magazine, consisting of four tubes, each with its own spring and follower, each tube being able to hold four shells apiece. The magazine ran parallel alongside the barrel, the magazine loaded with deer slugs for maximum damage.

Hope was down to her last four shells, having used the other twelve on the Hand ninja and Black Dragons.

The redheaded teenager watched as the lead Tarkartan fired off an energy spark from his blades, aimed at her head. Hope dodged the attack, and aimed the 1216 at the Tarkarta's shin. The report of gunfire was loud, and it blew the lower leg of the Tarkarta clean off.

His head followed moments later.

Shell number three obliterated the second Tarkarta's heart. The third Tarkarta was close, too close for Hope to aim her shotgun. So she decided to use it as a melee weapon, breaking the Tarkarta's jaw. This was followed by her incinerating it having copied Ravenna's pyrokinetic ability, reducing it to bones in a matter of seconds.

Without turning around, Hope ensnared a Tarkarta with her telekinesis. First, she broke his back. His neck followed suit. Then, she flung him at the other Tarkarta, who ducked under the attempt. However, this was a distraction, as she leveled her shotgun and let loose with the final round.

The Tarkarta fell to the ground, half of his head missing.

At the same time Hope had finished off the last Tarkarta attacking her, Ravenna and Magik were mopping up the remaining Tarkarta.

('Red Like Roses II' ends here)

Then, Mileena was kicked through the doors, and in walked Kitana.

And Kitana saw him. "YOU!"

Shang Tsung, standing on the sidelines, watching the battle take place. Mileena now forgotten, Kitana charged at the man responsible for murdering her best friend.

Shang saw her coming, the smirk not leaving his face, and quickly reacted.

Kitana skidded to a stop as Shang morphed from a demonic Chinese sorcerer, taking on the massive form of someone that Kitana had not seen since her first demise some forty-four years ago.

She had seen his demise from Johnny and Sonya's memories. She had thought that the Elder Gods had destroyed his soul along with his body when he violated the rules of Mortal Kombat.

Somehow, **his** soul wound up inside Ermac following his death, and once Shang found out that he had his soul, not to mention that by having his soul meant that he was privy to all his secrets, all of his power...

Hope, Magik, Luke and Logan were flabbergasted to discover that the wiry, sinister-looking mandarin transformed into Kitana's stepfather, as they recognized the man from earlier during the meeting of the heroes.

His red eyes glowing from underneath his skull helmet, 'Shao Kahn' charged shoulder-first at Kitana. Not even the energy shield she summoned was enough to keep her on her feet, as the blow knocked her into a wall, stunning her. Sensing movement behind him, 'Kahn' spun, the Wrath Hammer in his hands, swinging it like a Louisville Slugger, catching Logan full in the face when he tried to attack from behind.

"Logan!" Luke shouted, but was blind-sighted by Skarlet. A hard kick to the face, followed by a kick to the groin immobilized the Hero for Hire.

Mileena then capitalized by attacking Magik, Hope and Ravenna. First, she knocked Ravenna unconscious with a Teleport Kick to the back of the head whilst she was distracted with the last Tarkartan warrior. This was followed by a Ground Roll, which propelled Magik in the air. Skarlet then knocked Magik into Hope, sending both girls down.

'Kahn' smirked as he reverted back to Shang Tsung. Looking at Kitana, who was trying to get back to a vertical base, he opted to kill her with a Flaming Skull to the head, but relented. Turning to Skarlet, he said, pointing to Ravenna, "Take her."

Skarlet picked up the groaning Ravenna and slung her over one shoulder. Meanwhile, Shang conjured a portal. "You and your allies may have won the battle," he said to Kitana, "but you will lose the war in the end. You have failed Jade and you only live because you amuse me. Until we meet again, Princess."

Shang was the last to enter the portal, his laughter ringing in Kitana's ears.

One thing for sure, Cassie and her parents are not going to take this lying down.

* * *

Outside...

Despite the casualties that S.H.I.E.L.D. had suffered (which were less than thirty operatives) and the death of Bobbi Morse at the hands of Tremor, it was a foregone conclusion that the combined forces of the Exiled Kombatants, the Avengers, and S.H.I.E.L.D. would win the battle, the first in the War of Two Earths.

Out of the Black Dragons and the Hand ninjas, less than fifteen were alive. And they were all surrounded by the victorious heroes.

Iron Fist had to be taken out of the fight due to him suffering a concussion. Liu had ended up saving him from being swarmed by a mob of Hand ninja and Black Dragons. Not even Johnny and Sonya got out of this battle unscathed, the former nursing a slashed forearm from a Hand ninja's katana (thankfully, the blade wasn't poisoned), and Sonya having a concussion of her own from a Black Dragon.

Captain America himself was battered from the battle, but still in good shape. He did not like to kill, but even he saw how dangerous a threat that Raiden was for the planet.

But still, he opted to give the remnant forces a chance to surrender.

"The battle is finished," Cap said. "Kano and his lieutenants are all dead. You are outnumbered and outgunned. Don't be foolish. Lay down your arms and surrender."

"Death before dishonor!" a Hand ninja shouted in Japanese...right before turning his blade onto himself.

"Death before dishonor!" seconded a Black Dragon, right before severing his own jugular with his blade.

Before the heroes could stop them, the fifteen remaining Hand and Black Dragons committed suicide, falling on their blades, some even pulling the pins out of hand grenades and clutching them to their chests, the blast killing them instantly.

Not one hero didn't try and stop them.

"Well," Deadpool quipped, "that was kinda anti-climatic. And here, I was hoping for a last stand."

"CASSIE!"

Cassie spun on her heels, just as Magik, Hope, Kitana, Wolverine and Luke Cage came stumbling out of the building. Almost immediately, a sense of dread began to build inside of Cassie and her parents.

"Ravenna's been taken!" Magik panted.

"What?!" Cassie and her parents shouted in unison.

"Kidnapped by Shang Tsung," Kitana said, just as out of breath as were the other mutants. "Taken...back to Earthrealm."

Normally, when someone has received word of a loved one being kidnapped, there would be denial from the victim's loved ones, followed by hysteria.

This was not the case of the Cage family.

Instead, there was anger. Cassie and her parents were angry. **Very** angry. A smoky, red haze was seeping from Cassie's body, while the same was for her father, also red. Sonya looked liked she was one step away from calling a nuclear strike on the Sky Temple.

Iron Man backed away. Sonya's anger was legendary, but from the look of things, the Cage family was crazy enough to fight Hulk whilst in Worldbreaker Mode and win.

Liu and Kitana also backed away. The Cage family looked pissed enough to storm the Netherrealm and beat the crap out of the remaining revenants.

In the back of the resurrected assassins' minds, they were at least thankful that their anger not directed to the both of them. Not since Shinnok's return has the Cage family looked so pissed off.

Shang Tsung had made it personal for Liu and Kitana when he led the attack on the Red Lotus, resulting in the deaths of their members and that of Jade.

And now, he made it even more personal for the Cage family in his kidnapping of Ravenna.

One thing for certain, if Kitana and Liu didn't kill Shang Tsung, then one of the Cage family most certainly will.


	23. 15: Return To Earthrealm

**Chapter Fifteen: Return to Earthrealm**

Snafu's Notes: As the inspiration for this fanfic came from PinkRedRose2's **Mortal Kombat: Desperation** , I have an omake in the works in which my version of Cassie finds herself in the Desperation storyline, with her blessings of course. Also, to make up for the short chapter, this piece is a bit longer than the other chapters, about 15 pages in length. After this chapter (which had long since been written, as I tend to work out of order), there will be another side story which takes place during the Avengers Initative (during when the Act was law). I'm posting this early as I will be busy for most of this month and most of next month. Maybe. Also, a kombatant in Earthrealm makes an appearance as an ally. You won't see this coming. Also, there is a reference to Cassie's voice actress and another role she played. See if you can find it.

Fort Charles – Earthrealm.

Three years ago, Fort Charles was Sonya Blade's command back when she was the General of the Special Forces' Earthrealm Strategic Defense.

Now, it was the main stronghold of the Black Dragon.

Following the disappearances of the Cage family (i.e., presumed dead in a freak gas explosion), Colonel Richard Flagg had taken command of the base. Then, following Outworld's absorption into Earthrealm following Mortal Kombat, the Black Dragon launched a 'take-no-survivors' assault on the base.

What made it worse was not only that Raiden had given Kano the 'go-ahead,' but that Jax and Team S-F was forced to watch as their base was overrun. Kano himself was responsible for killing General Flagg, but not before Flagg was able to destroy the S-F's portal embarkation room. The underground chamber in which the hard drives containing every single bit of data concerning S-F and Lin Kuei tech remained unmolested.

Not to say that Kano hadn't tried to break into the hard drive room. Sonya had purposely designed it to withstand a direct hit from a bunker-buster. For the past three years, he and the Black Dragon had tried to break into coveted room. Sonya even went as far as to have anti-portal technology developed and installed so that access to the room that way was impossible.

On top of that, not even Raiden himself could break into the room, due to the wards that Sonya had put in place.

But now, Fort Charles was host to a high-value prisoner in the form of Ravenna Carlton Cage.

* * *

Ravenna Cage hated being kidnapped.

But as much as she wanted to use her mutant powers to force Mileena and Skarlet - both who had a hold on her bound arms - to go on a killing spree, she had to follow the plan that was put into place by her parents and sister. Only in the most extreme of emergencies should Ravenna use her powers should she find herself in Earthrealm.

'So this is...well, was Fort Charles,' Ravenna thought as she looked around the base. She had seen her mother's memories as to how the place once looked back when she was in command. Now, Kano had made a mockery out of the place.

She had let her guard down, which allowed Mileena to jump her from behind.

Her mother would not let her live it down once she returned from here. She had gotten an earful alongside Cassie after the Siege of Asgard, and she can expect another lecture once all of this was over.

Shang Tsung led her, Skarlet, and Mileena across the base's main grounds, Ravenna ignoring the angry stares of the Black Dragons that looked her way. They knew of the mission into the alternative Earth to kill her parents and to capture her sister. But to see that only Shang Tsung and his pets return was starting to raise concerns.

The Tarkarta looked at her as if she was a piece of meat.

A buxom redheaded woman in her mid-thirties armed with a pair of knives tucked in her boots approached Shang, Mileena and their hostage.

Ravenna recognized the woman from her mother's memories in regards to the Black Dragon. Kira, Kano's second protegee, having joined up following the Blood Code fiasco, as it was Kano himself that recruited her.

"What happened?" Kira demanded. "Where's Kano? Where are the others?"

Before Shang could reply, Ravenna broke the news to her. "Your boss is dead," she said. "My sister killed her, while Mom killed his little bastard."

Kira's eyes widened. "No...Kano can't be dead!"

"It is true, I'm afraid," Shang confirmed. "Cassandra Cage killed Kano, whereas Sonya Blade snapped the neck of Darren." He gestured to Ravenna. "Miss Cage here was responsible for killing Tasia, while Jarek was slain by both her father and Liu Kang."

Kira didn't want to hear about what had happened to Tremor. In a flash, her knife – dubbed Dragon's Teeth – was in her hand, and she would have gutted the youngest of the Cage family had it not been for Shang staying her hand. "No, Kira. Young Ravenna may be of some use to us." He looked at Ravenna, who glared back at him. "We shall see how much your life is worth to your parents."

Ravenna scoffed. "Norman Osborn tried the same thing with my sister and me. Didn't work out too well for him."

Mileena cuffed her. "Silence!"

Ravenna slowly turned around. "Touch me again, and I'll break your nose," she threatened.

Mileena saw that as a challenge. When the Edenian-Tarkartan hybrid tried to strike her again, Ravenna quickly sidestepped the attempt and slammed her head into Mileena's face, breaking the cartilage and sending the fallen Empress reeling back.

"Told ya," Ravenna said, smirking.

"Enough!" Shang ordered, stopping both Mileena and Skarlet from retaliating. To Ravenna, he said, "You got spirit, Miss Cage. You are truly the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. But we shall see if you still have your father's tongue once you are brought to Raiden." To Mileena, he said, "Put her in a holding cell."

Mileena nodded and hauled Ravenna away. Kira stormed off. Shang, in the meantime, needed to report to Raiden about this newest development.

Neither party did not notice one of the Black Dragons slink off into the shadows.

* * *

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier - over Cage Incorporated.

Within the hour of Ravenna's kidnapping, a rescue mission was already in the works.

It had been one of several fallback plans that Johnny and Sonya had thought of over a brainstorm session back when she was a Sergeant herself. Since then, the couple had planned for every scenario over the years.

This was one of them.

Cassandra Cage knew that her sister wasn't dead. Even across time and space, she felt the power of the Phoenix from her sister, albeit faintly. It was this connection that allowed Cassie to get an exact location on Ravenna's whereabouts. That, and Kano's memories of what he had done to her mother's old base were helpful as well. Whenever a high priority target was captured, they were taken to Fort Charles first, where they were 'interrogated' by either Kano or Jarek. Then, they were handed over to Raiden.

She had looked a mess following the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated, covered in blood, dirt, and grime. The shower inside the empty quarters had been a godsend, but it did little to soothe her mood.

Kano was dead, killed at her hands, while his son had been brutally dispatched by her mother. Vera had been avenged, but his death did not bring her any satisfaction. Then again, she knew that it wouldn't. Kano was a mad dog that needed to be put down.

The gray metal suitcase sat on the empty bed, open, its contents laid about on the bed, the suitcase having been brought here by one of her mother's underlings. The insignia was that of her mother's S-F outfit, which was similar to the one she once commanded back in Earthrealm, only that the color was now solid black.

Having spent enough time looking it over, Cassie decided to get dressed.

* * *

The battlesuit reminded Cassie of her old S-F issue catsuit. This, Cassie realized realized as she looked at her in the mirror (Think Cassie's costume combined with Jill Valentine's battlesuit). But with several differences.

Whereas her old jumpsuit was grey in color, this one was tactical black with a bit of grey set in. While the suit looked liked it was made out of leather, it was in truth, a ballistic weave that can stop a knife attack (provided that the knife itself wasn't vibranium or adamantium) and firearm rounds up to a 7.64 mm round from an assault rifle. Given that some bad guys liked to use energy attacks, the uniform was also energy resistant, but Cassie can still summon the green halo at will. Her custom-made leg holsters had her Desert Eagles secured inside, along with several spare clips, having restocked at the Helicarrier's armory before jumping in the shower.

Cassie sensed Kitana's presence outside the door. She could feel the guilt coming from the older woman, as she blamed herself for allowing Ravenna to be kidnapped. Cassie had seen the fight from Kitana's mind, and seeing Shang Tsung morph into Shao Kahn had really shook the former Edenian.

Sure enough, Kitana was outside in the corridor. Cassie knew that the former princess still dealt with her past as a revenant, a fate not even she would wish on her worst enemy.

Well, maybe several.

Before Kitana could speak, Cassie beat her to the punch. "You didn't kidnap Ravenna. Shang Tsung did. We planned for every scenario. We just didn't count on him appearing. It's not your fault."

Kitana nodded. relieved that Cassie didn't blame her for her sister being taken. She knew that Sonya could carry on a grudge, as did her daughter. "Your parents said the same thing. Come. The briefing is about to start."

As Cassie had been on the Helicarrier before, she knew where the bridge was, where the meeting was taking place.

The mood inside the Helicarrier's bridge was grim. Aside from Bobbi Morse, S.H.I.E.L.D. had lost thirty of its men to the Black Dragon and the Hand. Iron Fist was injured, having suffered a concussion, as did Ben Grimm. Sonya's Tactical Response Unit also suffered losses; seventy out of three hundred soldiers.

Johnny and Sonya both had their injuries treated by the S.H.I.E.L.D., the former with his forearm bandaged and the latter with a bandage over her eye. Sonya looked up, anger evident on her face, with the same expression mirroring that on her father's own. Liu, Kitana, the X-Men and the Avengers all were gathered around a table. The battle had taken a lot out of them. Hawkeye looked grim, as did Maria Hill, her arm in a sling.

"Good. You've arrived," Sonya said. "Now we can begin."

Producing a USB flash drive from her pocket, Sonya plugged it into the laptop – customized for her use, which was plugged into the briefing table. Punching in several keys on her gauntlet, Sonya and the others watched as a 3-D image of her old command took shape.

"Fort Charles...my old command back in Earthrealm," Sonya said.

"Fort Charles has changed a lot in the years since we've left," Cassie continued. "When Earthrealm absorbed Outworld, the base was attacked by Kano's Black Dragon forces, with Raiden's blessings. Every single S-F operative...dead to the last man..."

Sonya's expression went grave. "My men...all that I've worked for...gone."

Johnny placed a hand on Sonya's shoulder. Cassie continued where Sonya had left off.

"Kano and the Black Dragon has made it their base of operations. The S-F hard drive room is still locked, and Kano is still unable to open it," Cassie continued. "The portal disembarkation room was destroyed, so thankfully that's not going to be a problem."

"That's going to be one of the main objectives in this retrieval mission," Sonya said. "As Johnny and I already hold the backup files in our possession, it's going to be a matter of time before Kano breaks through. He can't get to that data."

Cassie nodded. Walking over to the laptop, she punched in several more keys, revealing an overhead view of the surrounding area. Using Kano's memories she pointed out the changes made to the base. "The grounds surrounding the base is heavily mined, so a direct approach is out of the question. Plus, there's guards along the base's perimeter."

"So stealth is the key," Kitana said.

"Up until we get Ravenna back," Cassie replied. She pointed to a part of the map. "The old barracks has been converted into a prison. That's where they will more than likely hold Ravenna." She pointed to one of the hangars. "Kano has also added a fuel and munitions depot to the base."

"So we take that out as well," Cap said. "Rules of engagement?"

"We're at war, Cap," Sonya replied. "Lethal force is authorized. The Black Dragon won't hesitate to kill you. Now with Kano and most of his lieutenants and son dead, they will become even more unpredictable."

"Then again, Raiden did plan on killing them off anyway," Liu said. "We just did Raiden a favor."

"So who is leading the mission?" Wolverine asked.

"I'll go."

Johnny and Sonya turned to Cassie. "Cass..." Johnny began.

"I know the risks, Dad. But they'll be expecting the both of you to come and rescue Ravenna," Cassie explained. "And I know the base. They won't see me coming. Plus, Ravenna and I got the advantage with the Phoenix."

Sonya looked at her daughter for a brief moment. Cassie met her gaze. Then, the elder woman nodded. "Very well...Captain."

"Thank you." Now, Cassie blinked. "Wait...what?"

"You heard me," Sonya said. "You've been gunning after those Captain's bars for a while now, right?"

"I thought you didn't notice."

"You can't keep nothing from me. Especially when it comes to your military career," her mother replied. "We're on a war footing. So consider this a battlefield promotion, Captain Cage, and prove to me that my faith wasn't misplaced."

"You know I never let you down, Mom," Cassie replied.

"So...point of entry?" Cap asked.

Cassie turned back to the hologram. "Hmm..." A smile etched across her face as she pointed to a certain room. "Bingo."

Sonya looked at what Cassie was pointing at. "My old office?"

Cassie nodded. "Kano claimed it as his own once the base was overtaken. No one is allowed in or out. We can use the escape tunnel inside your office to infiltrate the base."

Sonya nodded as she punched in several keys. An escape tunnel formed from inside the office, ending about two miles out from the base. "When I was given command of Fort Charles, I had several escape tunnels built in, just in case the base gets overrun in the event of invasion from either Outworld or the Netherrealm. This escape tunnel goes underneath the minefield, and ends at a parking garage on the southeast side, on the outskirts of the base."

The parking garage in question sat next to a hospital. One of Kano's past memories had been that the Black Dragon raided the place, killing all of the patients – men women and children – and after pilfering the medical center of its supplies, left it empty, save for the rotting bodies.

Sonya turned to Cassie, but her daughter had beaten her to the punch. "Kano doesn't know about the escape tunnel. Before I had the Phoenix purge his memories from my mind, I had to make sure. He had the entire room checked out when he claimed it. He couldn't find it." She pointed to the image of the garage. "The hidden entrance is inside the fallout shelter at the end of the maintenance shed. The garage itself is home to Outworld refugees."

Sonya nodded. "Good." She turned to her husband. "The escape tunnel is hidden inside the bathroom inside the office. The last place Kano would expect to find a hidden passageway." She walked over to her daughter and pulled out a keycard. Handing it to Cassie, she said, "This is the master key. I always kept it on my person, hoping that I didn't need it. Looks like it's gonna come in handy. The door to the maintenance hall has been designed to that it can only open by using this key. Once you reach the fallout shelter, the keycard will react with the hidden computer inside. The user name is 'Ashly Burch,' and the password is 'Cricket.'"

Deadpool raised an eyebrow. 'A fourth wall break within a fourth wall break? That's like sixteen walls.'

Cassie nodded as she took the card and pocketed it. "Got it."

"So the primary objective is to rescue Ravenna and destroy the portal room and the backup hard drives," Cyclops said. "Any secondary objectives?"

Cassie punched in several more keys. Four pictures showed up on the screen. A dark-skinned man with bionic arms, his gauntlet-wielding daughter, a Shaolin archer and a Shirai Ryu ninja.

"Jackson Briggs. Jacqueline Briggs. Takakashi Takeda. Kung Jin," Johnny said. He turned to Cassie. "I made a promise that we would go back and save them. Now's the time."

"While Kano took over Fort Charles, Raiden allowed my old team and Jax to remain behind to keep an eye on Kano," Cassie explained. "Kano didn't like the fact that my old unit had orders to terminate any Black Dragon that gets out of line from Raiden himself. Whenever they're not at the base, they're at the Sky Temple."

"Okay," Sonya said as she picked up her phone. "I'll have Alpha and Echo Squads on standby..."

"No."

Sonya looked at her daughter. "What?"

"Forget Alpha and Echo. Too many bodies draw attention. And Raiden won't hesitate to fry them all."

"You're not going alone," Johnny said.

"You didn't let me finish," Cassie said. "I don't need two squads to infiltrate the base. All I need are ten good men."

"I'm going," Simon said, breaking his silence.

"We're going," Kitana said, with Liu nodding.

"Count me in," Cap said. He turned to Luke Cage. "How you feeling, Luke?"

"Just got the wind knocked outta me," Luke grunted. "I'm good."

"And Danny?"

Luke shook his head. "Got a concussion. He's sitting this one out."

Cap nodded. He turned to Black Panther. "T'Challa, both you and Luke are with me."

"Ravenna's my friend," Magik said. "I'm going too. You may need a sorceress's touch."

"Same here," Hope seconded.

Before Cyclops could open his mouth, Logan had beaten him to it. "I'll go." He turned to Cyclops. "We've had our problems, Slim, which are plenty, and I know that you can fight, but this is too much, even for you. I maybe an Avenger, but I'm also an X-Man."

Cyclops sighed. "Fine. But bring Hope and Magik back."

Logan nodded.

Cassie turned to Deadpool, who stood nearby. "Wade, you're with me."

"Do I have to?" Deadpool whined.

"Yes. You're still under contract."

"That chimichanga recipe better be worth it," he grumbled.

Sonya turned to the group who volunteered. For a moment, Johnny saw the old General Blade come out as she addressed Cap and the others. "This is your squad leader. You will obey any order from her as you would from Captain America or Cyclops. Understand?"

Every person involved nodded.

Johnny pulled out a small pendant from around his neck, and handed it to Cassie, who recognized the item almost instantly, despite her father having hidden it away for almost 20 years. The Portal Stone.

"You're gonna need this," Johnny said. "Since you're a mutant, opening the portal will be a lot easier for you." He then turned to Liu. "I know we've never seen eye-to-eye on many things back when you were Raiden's golden boy...promise me that you will bring my girls back home."

Liu met the former actor's gaze and nodded. "You have my word, Johnny. I will bring them back alive."

* * *

Fort Charles, Conference Room - Earthrealm

With Ravenna locked away, Shang Tsung decided to report in to Raiden. Within seconds, a life-sized image of Raiden stood before him, the dark thunder god having answered his hails. "Shang Tsung. What is your status?"

"Jade is dead," Shang reported. "Liu Kang and Kitana are still alive, I'm afraid."

"And what of Kano?"

"Kano and his lieutenants are dead. Cassandra Cage killed Kano, while Sonya Blade snapped his son's neck. Jarek has been slain by Johnny Cage and Liu Kang, while Tremor has fallen to their allies. Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade had lured the Black Dragon into a trap, and despite the superior numbers that Kano had, he was slain."

Raiden folded his arms across his chest. "This is...unexpected. Daegon will be quite displeased with the fact that he did not kill Kano as he wanted. It appears that I have underestimated Johnny Cage and his family yet again, that even with his reinforcements, that Kano was unable to accomplish a simple task."

"There is more. It appears that Kano himself was behind the theft of the Kamidogu. They are now in the possession of Johnny Cage and Liu Kang."

If Raiden was angry, he did not show it. Shang had to admit that the dark god had quite the 'poker face,' as Kano had mentioned. But it had to burn Raiden to know that Kano had stolen four of the Kamidogu from underneath his nose in an attempt to make the Cage family go Blood Code on each other.

"However, not all is bad news. We have a high-value prisoner. Ravenna Cage."

"Ravenna Cage? You mean Rebecca Carlton, Johnny Cage's sister," Raiden rebuked.

"Oh, no, Lord Raiden. She is the progeny of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade," Shang insisted.

"So the former spouses have reconciled," Raiden murmured. "And you went and kidnapped their child?"

"Oh, she is no child, Lord Raiden. She's eighteen years old. It also confirms my suspicions once I absorbed the soul of Elektra. Time and space move quite differently here than it does on that alternative earth. While it has been three years here since Johnny Cage and his family had fled Earthrealm, it has been nineteen years there."

Raiden digested this information. Nineteen years meant that Johnny and Sonya had time to forge new alliances and to prepare for the inevitable day that he would finally track them down. "And what of this...alternative Earthrealm?" he asked.

Shang grinned. "See for yourself," he replied as he conjured a series of images.

Captain America fighting off a squad of HYDRA agents...

...Iron Man taking to the skies, defending himself using his signature repulsor blasts...

...Cyclops blasting several bad guys with his optic blasts...

...Thor, holding Mjolnir high above his head, summoning arcs of lightning...

...Wolverine and X-23, claws extended, slashing their way through foe after foe...

...Johnny and Liu Kang killing Jarek during the Black Dragon's attack on Cage Incorporated...

...Sonya snapping Darren's neck, followed by Cassie and Sonya double-teaming Kano, ending in with Cassie killing Kano herself, Raiden showing surprise that Cassie was a telepath like Takeda...

...and Tasia being destroyed by the Grip of Murder.

Raiden looked pensive. "So Kano and his men are dead. And you said that you have their daughter, this Ravenna Cage?"

Shang nodded. The image then changed to that of Ravenna, locked away in her cell, seated in a chair. Skarlet stood in the corner, watching her every move.

Raiden looked at the image closely. "So that is Ravenna Cage. She looks just like her mother."

"Only with the hair color of her father," Shang said. "And from what I've seen, she has his tongue as well."

"I will dispatch Jackson Briggs and the others to bring her here so I can see her myself," Raiden said. "Their daughter may prove to be an excellent bargaining chip."

"I said the same thing. And what of this alternative Earthrealm?" Shang prodded. "What is your next course of action?"

Raiden looked pensive. "It would be a shame to destroy this realm without giving it a choice. Either they give Earthrealm tribute in the form of their best and brightest, in exchange for their lives. Should they refuse, then they face destruction."

Shang nodded, and Raiden's image disappeared.

* * *

The Sky Temple – the Jinsei Chamber

Raiden's reddish-golden eyes looked upon the Jinsei as he took in Shang's report, having severed the link. Hands behind his back, Raiden closed his eyes. 'Has it been nineteen years for them?' he wondered. 'Nineteen years, whereas it has only been three years here?'

While Raiden himself was busy these past three years, having won Outworld through Mortal Kombat and killing Kotal Kahn, that paled in comparison as to what Johnny and his family had done.

'They had all this time to prepare for me when the time came,' Raiden thought. 'And those warriors that Shang Tsung have showed me...'

He turned from the Jinsei. 'It was only three years ago here that Cassandra Cage saved Earthrealm from Shinnok. And now...she has slain Kano, having done what both her parents and Jackson Briggs failed to do.' An evil smile crept across his lips. 'She would have made the perfect champion. One made in my own image. She would have succeeded where both her father and Liu Kang had failed.'

He turned and exited the Jinsei Chamber. Out in the courtyard, the monks went about their duties, maintaining the grounds and worshiping. Also present were his three generals, Hanzo Hasashi, the grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu, Kuai Liang, the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, and Jackson Briggs, the bionic-armed warrior and father to Jacqueline Briggs.

Speaking of Jacqueline, she was also present, along with her teammates, Kung Jin and Takahashi Takeda.

"Report," Raiden ordered.

"We have captured the Edenian demigod Taven and his dragon," Hanzo reported. "He is currently being held on Shang Tsung's Island."

Raiden nodded. "Good. And Fujin?"

"Hotaru reports that there are no problems from him," Subzero replied.

"Not for the moment, at least," Raiden replied. He then addressed the others present. "Johnny Cage and his family have been found. Shang Tsung has acquired their daughter."

If the corrupted champions were surprised, they did not show it. "Shang Tsung has captured Cassandra Cage?" Jax asked.

"No. Apparently, the former spouses have reconciled and have a second daughter, named Ravenna," Raiden replied. "According to Shang Tsung, the traitors have been gone for nineteen years, whereas only three years have passed here."

"Which means that they had time to prepare," Takeda noted. "Prepare for when we would finally track them down."

"Prepared they did," confirmed Raiden. "Kano and his lieutenants are dead. It appears that I underestimated Johnny Cage and his family once again in regards to Kano and his men. Not only that, Shang Tsung have underestimated Liu Kang and Kitana as well."

"They must have joined forces upon finding out that you were after them," Jacqui said.

"Which makes them even more dangerous," Raiden said. "Defeating the likes of Shao Kahn and Shinnok has proven that." He turned to Jax. "Jackson Briggs, you are to take the others and go to Fort Charles. There, you will retrieve Ravenna Cage and bring her to me."

"As you command, Lord Raiden," Jax replied.

Once Jax and Team S-F vanished through a portal, Raiden and the two ninjas also stepped through a portal, only this time this one took them to Seido, the realm of order.

It was time for another of his 'friendly chats' with Fujin.

* * *

Near Fort Charles...

The portal stone worked, with the help of Kitana and Magik's sorcery. As planned, the portal leading to Earthrealm had placed them on the rooftop of the parking garage, situated from across the former command of Sonya Blade.

Thankfully, the rooftop was deserted, which meant less complications for the team lead by Captain Cassandra Cage. The fact that an overturned truck blocked the road and that the door to the stairs was locked also helped matters.

Cassie stood on the garage's edge, looking out at the base that was formerly her mother's command, her pride and joy. The trip through the portal had left her, Liu and Kitana unfazed, but her boyfriend, Deadpool, and most of the Avengers and the X-Men needed a moment to fight off the nausea. Deadpool was actually throwing up in the corner. Wolverine and the Black Panther looked barely fazed. Magik was unaffected.

Cassie looked around the landscape. The blasted, desolate landscape reminded her back of her tour in Kurdistan. But that was back when she was just a Sergeant.

The Black Dragon sure didn't waste no time in laying claim to the area after Raiden had slain Kotal Kahn and claimed Outworld as his prize, absorbing it into Earthrealm. The skies reminded her of when she led Team S-F into Outworld's former capital, Z'unkahran, having been sent there by her mother to have a meeting with Kotal Kahn.

[Flashback]

 _Z'unkahran, the Outworld Capital - 19 years earlier..._

 _Sergeant Cassandra Cage led her team down Z'unkahran's main street, the Outworlders not giving the quartet a single thought as they went about their business._

 _"I dunno," Jacqui said, "Honestly, I'd expected the sky to be...purple, or something."_

 _Kung Jin chuckled. "Don't believe what you see online, Briggs."_

 _"What makes you the expert?" Cassie asked._

 _"I studied a lot about Outworld," the Shaolin archer replied. "If you want to know about Outworld, look into the Shaolin archives."_

 _"No substitute for expertise," Cassie said._

 _Jin snorted. "And who died and made you our leader?"_

 _Cassie stopped walking, as did Jin. The young sergeant and the descendant of the Great Kung Lao stared each other down. "What makes you think that you're in charge?" Cassie retorted._

 _Before Jin could reply, Takeda intervened. "Guys...stick to the mission, okay?"_

[End Flashback]

"Feels strange, doesn't it?" Liu asked, standing alongside Cassie. "Coming home..."

Cassie looked upward. "It feels the same...but at the same time, it's not," she said, looking down, and seeing a couple of Outworlders in rags scurrying past a crashed car, the chassis having been burned out. "What about you?"

"To be honest, I haven't thought about Earthrealm after I died the first time," Liu replied. "Honestly...I don't even know if my brother is alive."

Cassie turned to the former monk. "Brother?"

"His name was Chow," Liu explained. "I was the elder brother. We grew up in Shaoshan, a village out in Hunan Province. Chairman Mao's hometown. When our parents died, we were taken in by the Shaolin. When I began to train under the masters, Chow ran away. Haven't heard from him since. I failed as a champion, and I failed as a brother." He looked at the (somewhat) older woman. "In a way, I see myself in you, Cassandra. You have a strong relationship with Ravenna. It's one of the reasons why I volunteered to come along."

"Still looking for your chance at redemption, Liu?" asked Cassie.

"Every day of my life. It's why I protect the innocent from the shadows. Someone has to get their hands bloody when the law fails them."

For Cassie, it felt like a lifetime ago. Back when she was a Sergeant. But deep down, she was just an angry girl searching for her mother's approval. Looking back now, the Blood Code fiasco was just an excuse to sign on to the military.

It took Cassie's father being kidnapped by the revenants and her beating Shinnok's face in to finally earn Sonya's respect.

"You're not the only one who is seeking redemption," Cassie replied. "I failed my team. I fell for Raiden's bullshit when it came to Shujinko."

"Raiden will answer for his crimes," Kitana said as she joined her husband and the former sergeant. "All of them, as will Shang Tsung."

"How are the others?" Cassie asked.

"The motion sickness has passed," Kitana replied. "We're ready."

Kitana, Cassie and Liu turned around and walked back to the others. While Magik looked rather unaffected (due to repeated use of stepping disks), the others looked green around the gills, including Captain America.

"I threw up when I went through the portal the first time," Cassie admitted to the group of heroes. "I had just made Corporal, and had just finished my tour in Kurdistan. Seems like a lifetime ago. It gets easier with each go."

"I hope so," Simon groaned.

"Seconded," T'Challa replied as he donned his mask.

"Wasn't as bad as I'd expect it," Magik noted.

"Of course it wouldn't be for you Miss Stepping Disk," Hope sniped.

"Enough," Cassie ordered. She pointed to the base. "There's our objective. Fort Charles. Once we're inside, I'll hand out your assignments, understand?"

Everyone nodded.

"Let's move," Cassie ordered.

* * *

Kurdistan and Darfur were to Cassie, a jog in the park compared to what she had seen whilst venturing through the makeshift refugee camp, followed by Liu and the others. There was a movie she had watched, in which a soldier from the post-apocalyptic future was sent back in time to protect the mother of the child who would lead the humans to victory against their machine overlords.

It reminded her of this.

The parking garage was one massive refugee camp, and it reminded her of that one scene. And from what she had seen from Kano's memories, a prime hunting ground for the Black Dragon, be it recruitment, torture or rape. Cars were either stripped down or reduced to burnt-out husks. The Outworlders went about their business, more worried about living to see the next day.

A group of teenage Outworlders were smacking something in the corner with a large stick. One of them reached down and picked up a large rat, before running off with their evening meal.

Deadpool made a face, but kept silent.

Kitana's heart lurched in her stomach. Even when Shao Kahn had ran Outworld with an iron fist, he at least made sure that the people had enough to eat. She was so caught up in the scene before her that she did not see the little girl in rags until she ran into her.

The girl was an Outworlder, centuries old, but looks to be about nine or ten. The small bronze jug that was filled with milk had fallen from her hands, and spilled all over on the concrete.

Kitana crouched down and helped the girl to her feet. "Are you okay, child?" she asked.

The girl looked at her, confused. Kitana asked the question again, this time in Edenian. The girl shook her head, then she pointed to an older woman, seated in a makeshift tent in the corner.

" **Oh...the milk was for your mother,** " Kitana said, now understanding.

The girl walked over and picked up the now-empty jug, tears forming in her eyes as she stared into the empty vessel.

At least, until Kitana gently plucked the jug from the girl's hands. Taking a knee, Kitana closed her eyes and began to chant in Edenian, her hands glowing softly.

And as Cassie and the others watched, the jug was once again filled with milk. The girl looked at the former revenant in wonder.

Behind her mask, Kitana smiled as she returned the jug to the girl, the light in her hands now gone. " **Once the jug is empty, it will refill on its own,** " she explained. " **You need not worry for your mother's health any longer, child.** "

The girl responded by giving Kitana a hug and ran off to her mother. Kitana rose to her full height and nodded in respect to the woman. The woman nodded back in response.

Walking back to Cassie and the others, Kitana saw that they had witnessed the entire exchange take place. Liu had a look of pride on his face, Cassie's showed respect, as did Luke Cage and Wolverine's own. Deadpool looked indifferent. The others were impressed.

"Not all assassins are irredeemable," Kitana said.

This did not go unnoticed by a pair of eyes watching the event. A pair of eyes, solid white, the hooded cloak made out of the hide of an Outworld saber-toothed tiger.

* * *

From her place in the refugee kamp, the mystery woman watched Cassandra Cage – thought to have long since been dead – and two other people who she thought to have been long dead, being accompanied by a crew of costumed misfits that looked like they know how to fight.

For the past month, she had been in this camp, casing the Black Dragon base. So far, no point of entry. The area surrounding the base was heavily mined, as the Black Dragon occasionally forced several captured Edenian refugees to run across the minefield.

But with the way Cassie and the others made their way through the camp, they walked with a purpose. As she was privy to Cassie's past history with the Black Dragon alongside her parents, she suspected that the daughter of Johnny and Sonya had a way into the base.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to follow them.

She gave them enough distance not to spook them, but at the same time keeping them within her sights. Upon reaching the ground level, she spied them entering the door leading to the maintenance tunnel. That door was always locked, until now.

She followed, entering into the maintenance tunnel, and closed the door behind her. Down a flight of stairs, which led to a small hallway. The corridor was littered with several storage boxes ended at a door, the sign showing that it was a fallout shelter.

And the door was unlocked, partially open.

Running on soundless feet, her hooded cloak trailing behind her, she reached the door. Inside, the room was dark.

'This stinks,' she thought. 'It feels like a...'

 **KA-CHAK.**

'...trap,' the woman finished her thought, mentally swearing to herself.

Even she knew the sound of a handgun slide being pulled back and snapping into place.

"Pardon me," a male voice said, "but have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moonlight?"

The woman slowly raised her hands. "I'm not with the Black Dragon," she said. "I'm looking for Cassandra Cage."

Upon turning around, she found herself staring down the barrel of a Heckler & Koch UMP45 sub-machine gun, held by a man in black-and-red spandex. She also took notice of the katanas behind his back.

The woman looked at the guy and scoffed. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

"Wow. A person who doesn't know who Deadpool is?" Deadpool quipped. "I would say that I'm shocked, but I'm not from here."

"I can see that," the woman replied. "Where's Cassie?"

"Hey! This is not how this works!" Deadpool rebuked. "I'm the one with the gun aimed at your head! I'm the one who is asking the questions!"

The woman rolled her eyes. Then, quick as a snake, she reached out, and grabbed the barrel of the UMP45.

Deadpool's eyes widened as he felt the pain in his hand, despite him having gloves. But the pain wasn't a deep, burning one.

It was rather, a deep, **freezing** one.

Ice crystals formed around the barrel of the weapon, even going down the loaded clip, until it was nothing more than a chunk of frozen metal.

Still gripping the barrel, the woman twisted. Deadpool's eyes widened as everything in front of the trigger guard snapped off of the weapon, rendering it useless.

"Oops," the woman said, smirking as she tossed the frozen piece of Deadpool's ruined weapon aside.

Her sense of victory was short-lived as she felt her hands snap to her sides like magnets, as if she was standing at attention. A pair of golden bands materialized, on her torso and arms, and on her legs, immobilizing her. "Hey! What the...?!"

"I got her," Magik said, her outstretched hand enshrouded with a soft golden light.

"Turn her around," Cassie ordered.

Magik did so, turning the ice woman a complete 180 degrees. By this time, Liu and the others had emerged from the fallout shelter, their various weapons raised, just in case the woman tried anything funny.

Cassie marched over to the woman and pulled her hood back. The face looked exactly the same as Cassie remembered. Attractive, but pale, bluish-white eyes that had no pupils or irises. And the spiked hair that was the same color. Over twenty years ago, Cassie had fought this woman in what she and Jacqui would later find out to be a MMA deathmatch.

The bound woman in question was her opponent.

 _"This is my opponent? Some Beverly Hills brat? This kill's gonna be all too easy."_

Cassie narrowed her eyes. "Frost."

"You know her?" Wolverine asked, claws at the ready.

"She's with the Lin Kuei. Subzero's star pupil," Liu replied.

"Was," Frost corrected. "I'm no longer with the Lin Kuei. Raiden corrupted the grandmaster and the clan."

Cassie, for her part, wasn't convinced. "You were with the retrieval party that ambushed me after I killed Shujinko. Forgive me if I seem skeptical." She raised the Magnum at Frost's head. "Friend or foe?"

Frost glared at the older woman. "Are you kidding me?"

Cassie wasn't as she thumbed the hammer back. "Last time, Frost. Friend? Or foe?"

"We never were friends, Cage," Frost replied, "but we're not enemies either." She turned to Luke. "Right front pocket. You'll find something of interest."

Cassie glanced over to Luke, and nodded. The Hero for Hire walked over to the ice ninja and after a quick search, found the item in question. "Dogtags. They have your name on them, Cassie."

In an instant, the tags flew out of Luke's hand and into Cassie's own. Sure enough, they were Cassie's old tags back when she was a Sergeant. She looked at Frost. "Start talking. Where did you get these?"

"Fujin," Frost replied. "I knew something was off about the Grandmaster after he came back from the Sky Temple. When he gave the order to capture you, I thought you'd gone rogue after beating up Shinnok. Then, after you escaped, Fujin came to me, told me everything. About how Raiden corrupted the grandmaster and the others. When you left your gear behind, Fujin kept your dogtags, and gave them to me."

"What's she talking about, Cassandra?" Liu asked.

"I didn't escape the Lin Kuei on my own when I ran after killing Shujinko. Fujin saved my ass, and warned me that Raiden had corrupted Uncle Jax, Mom and the others at the time, and that he had planned to do the same for me once I arrived at the Sky Temple, with my dad being the last," Cassie confessed. "He told me to dump my gear and he opened a portal for me, to the destroyed city that was the epicenter of Shinnok's invasion." Realization came across her face. "He held onto my tags, and told me that whoever has these whenever I came back was his ally, and that they can be trusted." Her eyes narrowed. "Didn't expect to be you. Fujin mentioned a certain phrase. What did he say?"

In Edenian, Frost replied, " **Praise be the Order brought forth from the very edge of Chaos.** "

The motto of the Seidan Guard. Cassie lowered her gun. Her pupils shifted from blue to red. " **Don't move, and don't blink,** " she said.

Frost felt Cassie probing her memories. After a minute, the mental search was done and Cassie's eyes returned to her normal color. "She's telling the truth." To Magik, she gave the order to release her. "Let her go."

Frost let out a breath as she lowered her hands as Cassie and the others holstered their weapons. Frost removed her cloak, revealing the female Lin Kuei uniform underneath – the black shozuku with the blue over-mantle. "I've been hiding in the shadows, kinda hard with hair like mine," she said as she retrieved her mask and secured it over her face. "Are you familiar with a woman named Li Mei?"

Cassie nodded. "Yeah. She led a group of refugees into Earthrealm to escape Kotal Kahn's war with Mileena."

Frost nodded as she followed Cassie and the others inside. "Yeah. Her. It was about two years after Raiden absorbed Outworld into Earthrealm. I stumbled upon her hidden village out where San Francisco used to be. She invited me to stay. I learned from her, both in kombat and learning patience, something that Subzero tried to do with me, but failed."

"..." Cassie remained silent.

"I was away from the village training when it was attacked. Three days before, Tanya had sought asylum there." Her expression darkened. "She betrayed the village, and told Shang Tsung and Kano of its location. I found the village in ruins, the dying village elders saying that not only did Tayna betrayed the village, but that Li Mei herself had been captured by Kano."

Tanya. Another name that Cassie and Kitana recognized. A backstabbing Edenian who changed sides more than Quan Chi. Her name was synonymous with treachery. And her crimes in the First Run were much worse.

Frost took a breath before continuing. "I found Li Mei. That sick one-eyed freak raped and tortured her. She held on just to tell me who was responsible. I took her body back to the village and burned it all; the village and its victims. I decided to don the old colors and walk the path of vengeance. Tracking Tanya down was easy." She smirked evilly. "She died screaming. Amazing how one's Tarkartan bodyguards can turn against you when you drench someone in concentrated Tarkartan essence, making them think that the victim was a rival male."

"Kano's dead," Cassie said. "His lieutenants are dead."

"What?! How?!"

"I killed Kano," Cassie confirmed. "He and his son tortured, raped and killed Jacqui's mom, who was an aunt to me in all but blood. I made sure that he died screaming."

"Well...shit," Frost said. "I should be pissed that you killed Kano...but at least Li Mei's soul can now rest. I guess I should thank you for that."

Cassie turned from the rogue Lin Kuei and walked over to the wall. Sure enough, a small section of it opened, revealing a keyboard, a card reader, and screen. Cassie uses the ID Card and begins to punch in a couple of keys.

"I'm here because Shang Tsung kidnapped my sister," Cassie said. "Raiden found out where we were and sent Kano not only after me and my family, but also Shang, with orders to kill the former revenants."

"Sister?" Frost parroted.

Cassie nodded. "It's been three years here, but me and my parents have been gone for nineteen years. Mom, Dad and I relocated to an alternative Earth. They both de-aged 30 years. I lost 16." She nodded towards Liu and Kitana. "Jade brought those two back to life and they've been in the same Earth as my family."

"You're looking good for someone who's in their forties," Frost dryly noted, hoping to get a rise out of her old enemy.

"Forty-one," Cassie corrected, disappointing Frost. "Going through puberty a second time was not fun." She pointed to Cap and Logan. "Blue got me beat by a good forty years, and Logan's well over a hundred."

"He won't stop there," Frost said.

Cassie sighed. "I know. Raiden won't stop unless my parents are dead alongside Liu and Kitana, and both Ravenna and myself are brainwashed into his perfect little puppets."

"Or, he destroys your new home" Frost said. "A lot has happened since you and your family fled. For one, Raiden wiped out the people of Chaosrealm."

Cassie stopped typing for a moment. Then she resumed her work. "Guess Raiden was still pissed about the whole Blood Code fiasco with Havik."

"I heard about that from Subzero," Frost said. "I was hiding out in Seido, disguised as a Seidan civilian when Raiden came. When the government refused to submit to their demands, Hotaru had killed them all."

"Raiden went to Hotaru, rather than the Seidan government," Kitana surmised. "First he sells out Kano and the Black Dragon to Daegon, now this."

"Hotaru?" Cap questioned.

"The Commander of the Seidan Guard," Cassie explained. "And my teacher. Before that, he was Dad's teacher in regards to our inborn powers. Total order freak. When Dad formed Team S-F, he sent me and the others there for a week."

"Hotaru believes that Raiden can bring order to the realms," Liu muttered. "He's no different from Shao Kahn or Onaga."

"Anyway, Raiden wipes out the people of Chaosrealm, but at Hotaru's behest, does not destroy the realm itself, allowing Seido to harvest the realm's water supply," Frost continued. "Hotaru then told Raiden about the threat that Darrius and the Seidan Resistance was for his ultimate plan. Guess what happened next?"

"Raiden wiped them out," Cassie guessed.

"Yeah. Fujin's also imprisoned in Seido as well," Frost continued.

 **CLICK.**

A part of the wall swung inward, revealing a hidden passageway. "You got a way inside," Frost said.

Cassie nodded. "I know the base. It was Mom's old command."

"Raiden took your friends and family," Frost said. "He took both my uncle and my father, and corrupted the clan." When Cassie looked curious, Frost said, "Long story short, Bi-Han is...well, was my father, and Kuai Liang is my uncle. So yeah, it's personal."

Liu and Kitana could understand that.

After a long, hard glare into Frost's eyes, Cassie simply said, "Try and keep up," before venturing into the escape tunnel, followed by the others, the door closing from behind them.


	24. OMAKE! Mortal Kombat: Desperation

**OMAKE! An Alternate Ending To Raiden's Chapter in Mortal Kombat: Desperation**

Snafu's Notes: This was done with permission from PinkRedRose2 (who was the inspiration for Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe). I've sent her a copy and she loved it. The premise is simple. What if Cassie from my story ends up in MK: Desperation during the events in Chapter 18, having been summoned there by the Elder Gods as their trump card? How would this play out? What if Cassie had the full powers of the Phoenix at her call?

Also, to tell the difference between the two Cassies, the one from MK vs Marvel will go by her real name, whereas the Desperation version will go by her nickname. For some of the dialogue, I had Cassie ham it up, as she was seriously channeling Michael Mando and the late Raul Julia in this omake.

" _I can say without a doubt that there are an infinite number of universes. Some are just like our own...but for one or two significant events, exactly the same."_

– Lex Luthor, Injustice: Gods Among Us

Black Dragon Hideout, Location Unknown – Earthrealm

 _"I do not see why Cassandra Cage must be brought here."_

 _"She has become far too resistant to be kept in her previous cell. Kano's 'classroom' is more secure and allows Kano to torture her however he wishes without disturbing the rest of us."_

In the days following the kidnapping of Cassandra Cage and the near-destruction of the Lin Kuei, Kano took delight in torturing the daughter of his most hated enemy, taking note that Cassie screamed just like her mother whenever he used his eye beam on her.

She screamed even louder whenever Raiden electrocuted her.

 _"I did warn yer mum, Cassie. She pissed me off, and now, you get to play with Uncle Kano."_

 _"You wouldn't have the balls to do this if you wasn't sucking Raiden's dick! Does he fuck you in your ass too? Or does he take turns with you and Jarek?"_

That remark earned her a lightning blast from Raiden, who had been present in the room at the time.

Per to Raiden's orders, Cassie had been moved to his 'classroom,' as it had been more secure. Then, he and his cohorts left for Outworld with Raiden to wipe out what remained of Rain's forces and the refugees he was protecting. That mission, however, ended in failure, Raiden and the Black Dragon having been forced to retreat with the arrival of the revenants, led by Liu Kang and Kitana.

Furious, Kano decided to vent out his frustrations on Cassie and his son, with Raiden's blessings, provided that Cassie was still alive.

"Cassandra Cage is more useful to me alive than dead, Kano," Raiden had said. "So long as she is alive, her parents will behave themselves and not interfere. Only when Mortal Kombat is complete, will she have outlived her usefulness."

"Oh, don't worry," Kano had replied. "I won't kill her. Yet."

Upon entering the 'classroom,' Kano did not find his chained son, bloodied and bruised, and a bound Cassie, also in the same condition as her son, but rather a freed, bloodied and bruised Cassie who was also, very, very pissed off.

Kano had studied the Cage family for decades. He knew their strengths and weaknesses, which buttons to push to goad them into making a mistake.

He knew that Sonya couldn't kill him...although she came pretty close back at the refugee camp.

He – nor Raiden – did not take into consideration that Cassandra Cage was a fucking telepath like Takeda and his brat. Even more powerful than Takeda and his father, than it seems. A telepath with the ability to conjure fire like Hanzo.

He sure as hell did find out when she proceeded to slam him all over the room with her mind, the last thing he had seen before passing out was Cassie's face, a psychotic grin on her face. her eyes as red as the infrared on his faceplant.

" **You're gonna regret ever wanting to meet me, Uncle Kano,** " she said before he passed out.

* * *

The nightmare kept replaying inside his head, despite Kano's feeble attempts to shake it out of his head. But it wasn't a nightmare. It was something far, far worse.

Each time he tried to push it out of his mind, Cassandra forced him to relive what he had done, each time with increasing intensity. Kano was tough physically, as he had been a bane to her family for nearly thirty years (even more so with Sonya), as well as mentally.

But nothing prepared him for this.

"There are many ways one can kill a man," Cassandra had said, reciting a line from one of her father's old films. "Flesh that can be torn asunder, bones than can splinter and shatter. But to destroy a man's spirit? That is how you truly destroy him!"

"I'm a lot tougher than I look," Kano had replied. "Do you worst, baby girl."

And she did. One by one, Cassandra had summoned his lieutenants into his 'classroom.'

And one by one, Kano killed them all.

Kano was as dangerous as they come, this Cassie knew. But not even he was unable to resist her mind control, Cassandra using her powers to drive the Black Dragon chieftain into such a murderous frenzy that made even the Blood Code look tame.

He was not in control of his actions, but he was aware the entire time. Oh they fought desperately for their lives, pleaded with him not to kill them. They died all the same, succumbing to their brainwashed leader, their screams of pain and pleas for mercy mingling with Cassandra's sadistic laughter as she watched Kano kill all three of his friends with extreme prejudice.

No one outside his 'classroom' did not notice, as Kano had purposely chose this room to be as far from the others as possible, to not disturb them during his torture sessions.

But Cassandra wasn't finished yet. While Kano was insane with grief and rage over killing his comrades, his friends for over twenty years, Cassandra forcing him to relive the events, both from his point of view, and then, from his lieutenants, making them not only experience their fear, each time driving Kano to near madness.

Then, it was Cassandra's turn. And just like her parents, she had no qualms about fighting dirty.

[Flashback]

 _Kano was slammed into the wall, falling on top of Tasia's corpse. She had been disemboweled by his knives, the top part of her head having been blown off._

 _"Are we having fun yet?" Cassandra taunted, looking barely winded._

 _Kano responded by launching himself at Cassandra, who merely sidestepped the Cannonball. "Too slow," she said, right before slamming him into the wall head-first. Kano screamed as he felt flames scorch his back once again. Those flames had glanced him, but holy fuck, did they hurt. Even more so than Scorpion's hellfire. He suspected that he had second-degree burns on his body from where they had landed._

 _Grabbing a handful of his hair, Cassandra slammed him into the wall face-first. Once, twice, three times, before flinging him to the ground._

 _Kano attempted to make a break for the door, but was caught by her telekinesis and flung yet again into the far corner. Kano felt a rib break from the impact._

 _" **Something wrong, Kano?** " Cassandra sneered, her baby blues shimmering into the blood-red orbs, while the white of her eyes faded to black. " **You and Raiden didn't expect to find a Goddess, manifested in the flesh, rather than the daughter of his greatest champions?** "_

 _Technically, she wasn't a goddess, but it was psychological warfare._

 _Kano attempted another eye beam. He was most surprised when Cassandra flung herself at him, imitating his Cannonball. To Kano, it felt like a 300-pound linebacker had slammed into him. The feedback attack to his mind stunned him long enough for Cassandra to destroy the infared eye. Then she scorched him yet again. Kano screamed from the pain._

 _Kano scrambled away as Cassandra hovered in the air. She was like a demon, battered and bruised from the previous torture sessions, her catsuit torn in numerous places. And yet, now she scared him even more than Raiden._

 _" **Still, you refuse to accept my ascension as a Goddess?** " Cassandra snarled. " **Fine! You can keep your God!"** Her lips twisted into an ugly grin. And her father said that she couldn't act. **"In fact, Raiden's somewhere in this building. It might be a good time for you to pray to him.** "_

" _No more..." Kano moaned, the pain now unbearable. "Please...no more..."_

 _Cassandra chuckled darkly. " **No more? Are you begging me for mercy?** " When Kano nodded, Cassandra responded by mentally strangling him, while at the same time, lifting him in the air, Kano clawing at his throat, trying to breathe. _

_In a low, menacing voice, she recited a verse from the Bible. She wasn't a religious person, but damn did it sound cool. "' **For I befell Satan, as he fell from Heaven...** " She paused to flip Kano upside down. "' **Like...lightning!** '"_

 _With all her might, Cassandra sent Kano crashing into the wall with bone-crushing force. Kano screamed as he felt his spine snap, the force of the impact leaving an impact crater._

 _With a groan, Kano fell face-down onto the floor._

 _Cassandra casually walked over to him, crouched down, and grabbed a handful of his hair, forcing him to look at her. " **We're not done yet. Not by a long shot. What were you exact words to my mother? 'Piss me off and Cassie's gonna meet Uncle Kano?'** " Her voice was now soft, dripping with malice and promised sadism. " **I'm gonna show you what a hot date I am.** "_

 _She then rendered him unconscious by slamming his head onto the floor._

[End Flashback]

Hours had passed.

When Kano came to, the first thing he felt was the pain. He was certain that his ribs were broken, and that's not counting the numerous cuts and burns that he had suffered. His legs were useless, as his back was broken. The second thing that he noticed was that he was chained up, arms over his head, his legs limp. The same chains that once held his son during his 'training.' Third, his mouth was covered with duct tape.

He was no stranger to pain, but in his experience, he would much rather be the one to deliver the pain rather than to receive it. But that was nothing compared to the mental torture that he had endured, Cassie not only forcing him to relive him killing his comrades, each time coming close to breaking his mind.

"Is everything in place?" a female voice asked.

Cassie Cage, Kano realized.

"Yes, Cassandra," a male voice replied. "We have successfully infiltrated the hideout. All we need to do now is wait for S-F to arrive."

Subzero, much to Kano's shock. The last time he checked, Raiden had shocked him into a coma. And yet, here he was, disguised as a Black Dragon mook, speaking with Cassie herself.

But what surprised Kano the most was that Hanzo Hasashi was also present, a look of disgust on his face as he looked at the bodies of Kano's comrades.

Cassandra turned to Hanzo. "Are your men ready?"

The former specter nodded. "We are. Half of the clan is with General Blade, while the other half will deal with the Red Dragon. I will head back and rejoin General Blade and the others."

Cassandra nodded. "Good." She turned to Kano, who was struggling to free himself, but to no avail. "Leave us. Uncle Kano and I are going to have a...'friendly chat.'"

The underlying meaning of Cassandra's words were not lost on the two grandmasters. Subzero concealed his face with the Black Dragon mask and left the room, Scorpion following suit.

Cassandra looked at the struggling man. Then, she turned to Jarek, who was slumped against the wall, Kano's butterfly knives stuck in his head and neck. Stretching out her hand, one of the knives were forcibly yanked out of Jarek's corpse, and landed in her hand, the blade still glistening crimson.

Pulling up a chair, Cassandra sat down in front of the crippled mercenary. She had cleaned herself up, somehow, Kano realized, the blood, bruises, dirt and grime gone. She was clad in a fresh catsuit, black splashed with a bit of red. Around her neck and shoulders was a tattered red scarf which doubled as a hood. Kano noticed that the undercut was gone, and that her hair was neatly pulled back into her signature bun.

"You know, I actually see why you like to torture people," Cassandra said as she regarded it as if she was checking out her own pistols. "You like to see people suffer, to take delight in the misery you have wrought. But now, after experiencing it on both sides...I see it as the ultimate form of expression."

Kano attempted to break free out of his chains, but to no avail.

"I remember seeing a movie a couple of years back, and there's this one phrase that stuck with me," Cassandra continued, looking amused as Kano tried to break free. "'You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.' Honestly, I thought it was pretty damn stupid. That is, until I read your mind, and after seeing all the shit that both you and Raiden had done...I'm seriously starting to reconsider that."

Kano's reply was muffled by the piece of duct tape.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot," Cassandra said.

The strip of duct tape was ripped from Kano's lips with a bit more force than Cassie was hoping for. Just to be on the safe side, she used her telekinesis to perform the task, ripping off some of Kano's facial hair.

"Damn. I was hoping I'd rip your lips off," she added, chuckling.

"You think you've won?!" Kano snarled. "You're surrounded by my best men! And even if you managed to get through them, then there's Raiden!"

Cassandra sighed. Using her telekinesis, she launched the butterfly knife blade-first into Kano's leg, causing the merc to scream in pain. Then, she made the blade move upward along the thigh, stopping only when she reached the femoral artery.

"Oh, please, I barely scraped you," Cassandra noted in a bored tone. The knife yanked itself out of Kano's leg and flew back into Cassie's outstretched hand. "And here, I thought you were tough. Guess you're only good for sneak attacks, ambushes, and fucking people over," she said. "I meant what I said earlier. You only got this far because Raiden made you an offer you can't refuse. I'm still trying to figure out where does 'bend over, spread cheeks' fit into the deal." She glanced over at Tasia's corpse. "Or...he could have a thing for psycho bitches wielding katanas. I'm surprised that he didn't try and fuck Mileena when she was alive."

Kano chuckled. Or tried to, as it hurt to even breathe. "Your mouth is gonna get you into big trouble one day, Cassie," he replied. "I thought you'd learned your lesson the last time you mouthed off to Raiden."

"He'd zap me again," Cassandra admitted. "The first time was a freebie. Next time, he won't be as lucky." She gestured to her new costume. "Hope you don't mind, but I had to change into something a bit more comfortable." She looked around at the carnage that she had wrought with her mind games. "Funny how you cared more for your friends than your own son. He's in S-F custody, having been sent there by Scorpion."

Kano spat blood on the floor. "Bloody traitor. Raiden's gonna fuck him up even worse than before." Meanwhile, Cassandra stood up and walked over to him. "He may even do worse to Takeda than what we've done to you." He grinned, showing his bloody teeth. "Maybe once Raiden heals me, I'll have a go with Jacqui. Always wanted to try dark meat."

That earned him a flaming backhand and a hard knee to the groin from Cassandra. Kano coughed up more blood.

"Even now, you don't realize that you've lost. Hell, Raiden doesn't realize that the Shirai Ryu flipped." She grinned evilly. "Seeing the Shirai Ryu join forces with S-F to pull a Red Wedding on Raiden and your boys...now that's something I'd want to see."

"You can't kill me, Cassie," Kano rebuked. "It's against your code. You have to bring me in."

"So you can just escape again? I don't think so. In fact, the Elder Gods not only sanctioned your termination, but Raiden's as well."

"B-but the Elder Gods..." sputtered Kano.

"...allowed Outworld to defend itself in Mortal Kombat. I know," Cassandra replied. "But after the shit that Raiden pulled from kidnapping me, attacking the Lin Kuei and the Edenian Resistance...let's just say that honor gave way to good old-fashioned pragmatism. They've ordered not only your termination, but Raiden's as well." She looked at the bodies of Jarek, Tasia and Tremor. "They were the first. Oh, the fact that their best friend killed them...so priceless. To sense their desperation, their despair as they fought for their lives the look of utter betrayal on their faces...it was the moment of dawning comprehension that sold it."

Despite the pain, Kano tried to lunge at Cassandra, forgetting that he was paralyzed from the waist down. "YOU FUCKING BITCH! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! THEN I'M GONNA KILL YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR FRIENDS!"

Cassandra looked amused. "Ooh, such language. You kiss your mother with that mouth? Obviously not since she dumped your sorry ass in the Outback. As for trying to kill me, kinda hard to do so without your friends. Oh, and your legs."

A blossom of cosmic fire emerged from Cassandra's hand. Kano watched as his knife hovered over the flame, slowly turning from steel-grey to red hot. Kano did not like the glint in Cassandra's eye. It reminded him of the sadistic glint he had seen in Raiden's own eyes when he (supposedly) mass-fried the Lin Kuei.

"Have I ever told you the definition of insanity, Kano?" Cassandra asked, as if she was asking for the time. "Havik told it to me...back when Jacqui and I were corrupted by the Blood Code." She banished the flame and the knife landed in the palm of her hand. Then, as Kano would do, she began to toss it and catch it by the handle as she approached Kano. "Insanity...is doing the exact same fucking thing...over and over again, expecting shit to change."

She ran the flat side of the red-hot blade along Kano's torso. Kano bit his lip in order to keep from crying out in pain.

"Now that...is crazy, if you ask me," Cassandra continued as she continued her torture of Kano, all the while giving an Oscar-worthy performance of a sociopath. "That was the first time Havik told me that. Of course, this was right before he sicced both me and Jacqui on my parents. Honestly, I thought he was bullshitting me. Guess I should be thankful for Hanzo ripping his head off." She stopped her torture in order to reheat the blade. "But the thing is, Kano...Havik was right."

Now, she ran the blade along the left side of his face, the stench of burning flesh reaching Kano's nose. "After the Blood Code...I started to see things. Even more so when I joined S-F. Everywhere I looked, I see all these fucking assholes..." Now, Kano saw that Cassandra was gripping the knife in a reverse grip. "...doing the exact same thing."

Kano screamed out as Cassandra slashed his face.

"Over..."

Another slash to his torso.

"...and over..."

A third slash to his left leg.

"...and over..."

A fourth slash moving upward along his chest. Kano screamed even louder.

"...and over..."

Cassandra then drove the blade into his kneecap. Had she not had soundproofed the room, his scream would had alerted Raiden.

"...and over again," Cassandra finished, twisting the blade, obliterating the knee. She chuckled. "And you would think to yourself, that this time...things are gonna be different. Or maybe the next time things will change for the better."

She paused her monologue. Kano was giving her the most hate-filled stare that he could muster.

Cassandra chuckled. Then she backhanded him, knocking out several of his teeth. "THE FUCK YOU'RE LOOKING AT, HUH?!" she screamed, her mood now a complete 180. "I DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME!" She followed through with a hard punch to his ribs, breaking even more of them. "YOU GOT A FUCKIN' PROBLEM IN YOUR FUCKING HEAD?! HUH?!" A hard punch to his chestplate made him cough up even more blood. "YOU THINK THAT I'M BULLSHITTING YOU?!" A hard kick to the groin that nearly ruptured his testicles. "YOU THINK I'M LYING?! FUCK YOU, ONE-EYE! FUCK YOU!"

Cassandra then back-pedalled, stepping back from using her family's nemesis as a punching bag, Kano moaning and sobbing from the torture. "Okay...calm down, Cass. Just chill out. Deep breaths...deep breaths..." After taking several, she calmed down. "I'm good...I'm good." Now calm, she turned back to Kano and let out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry about that. The power...it's so addictive. But here's my problem."

The next nine words sent chills down Kano's spine. "The thing is, Kano, I've killed you once already."

"Wh-what?"

Cassandra chuckled. "It's not like I'm fucking crazy, Kano. But it's cool, though. Water under the bridge." She wagged her finger at the wounded criminal. "I had you going for a moment there, you thinking that I was a god." She then doubled over in laughter. "You are so gullible! You forget who my father was!" After a moment, she calmed down. "I'm merely the host of a cosmic entity that is the epitome of life and death. You and Raiden did kidnap Cassie Cage, but while you were off fucking Rain's shit up, I snuck in, freed them both, and took her place." She tapped her head. "All this time, you thought that you were conducting your torture sessions...it was all in your head. I even managed to fool that idiot Raiden into thinking that he had gotten in on the fun by torturing me."

"Who...who are you?!"

Cassandra smiled meanly. "First Lieutenant Cassandra Carlton Cage, U.S. Army Special Forces, Tactical Response Unit." She pulled up a chair and sat back down. "I see no harm in telling you the truth, seeing as how I'm going to have to kill you a second time. But since I'm a bit pressed for time..."

And Kano saw her memories. Of her murdering Shujinko on Raiden's orders...

...of how she fled the Lin Kuei with the aid of Fujin...

...of her and her father subduing a brainwashed Sonya and fleeing Earthrealm...

...of Cassandra's second childhood, her parents remarrying and having another child, and her training as a mutant...

...to Kano's attack on her father's business, and his death at her hands...

Off Kano's shocked expression, Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. "Way I see it is that the Earthrealm that I'm from is similar to this one. Of course, Mom and Dad almost had a coronary when I showed up carrying...well, myself, yet seeing as how my face was covered, they don't know that Cassie and I are one in the same. The Cassie Cage you kidnapped is recovering quite nicely in the medical bay on the base. As for Kevin, he's in protective custody."

To back up her claim, Cassandra showed Kano an image. In a hospital bed, her wounds now healed, but still injured, was Cassie Cage, relieved that now her ordeal was over.

"I killed you, but Shang Tsung kidnapped my sister," Cassandra explained. "Then I was brought here by the Elder Gods, with the full power of the Phoenix Force at my fingertips. They told me what had happened, showed me what Raiden had done...the attack on the Lin Kuei...the invasion of Outworld, which forced Kotal Kahn into invoking Mortal Kombat. You can say that I am the...insurance policy. But Mom has some nice little setback plans of her own."

Cassandra held up a single finger. "After Liu and the others were killed, she did not entirely trust Raiden like she used to. The Blood Code fiasco shattered her trust in him completely. After all, if he went nuts, then everyone would be at risk. Subzero thought the same thing as well, which is why they used the Lin Kuei's Cyber Initiative notes to mass-produce about three hundred cyberninjas. When you and Raiden invaded Outworld, Subzero had the robo-ninjas activated, and their holograms activated." Cassandra smiled meanly. "You and Raiden just wasted your time in destroying a ton of decoys."

A second finger then joined the first. "Then, we have the revenants. While they gave Team S-F a rather cold reception the last time, I was more successful. Originally, they wanted nothing to do with me, but after I used my powers to revive Jade...honestly, I'd didn't think that the revenants said yes fast enough. Kabal was especially happy that he doesn't look like Freddy Kreuger anymore. Of course, Liu and Kitana will get their pound of flesh from Raiden, as promised, with Liu being the one to kill him. The Elder Gods also promised the two lovebirds that they will rule Edenia once Raiden is dead. Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me."

Now, the knife was yanked out of his kneecap and flew into Cassandra's hand. "So now...you know the score. Raiden thinks that he has won. But he has lost. Too bad that you won't live to see Raiden crash and burn." Now Cassandra's face had an ear-splitting grin. "Jax, my parents, and Team S-F are leading the attack, backed by Kira and the ex-revenants."

Now Kano was pissed.

"Yup. Kabal and Kira were nice enough to confirm what I had already told S-F about this location...as well as the other fallback spots," Cassandra confirmed. Rather than just using the cosmic fire to heat the blade, Cassandra merely touched it and it became red-hot again, the stench of burning blood reaching Kano's nostrils.

"I got about...thirty minutes," Cassandra said. "The cavalry will be here in about...forty minutes, give or take. More than enough time for us to play, Uncle Kano."

"Y-you're insane, Cage!"

"Not so fun when you're on the receiving end of torture, isn't it?" Cassandra taunted. She raised the red-hot blade. "Pretty ironic, don't you think? I know it's gonna be even more ironic, seeing as how I'm going to kill you yet again. But before you go, you will take one valuable lesson with you: Don't Fuck With A Cage." She readied the knife, the psychotic grin not leaving her face. "Let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

Elsewhere...

He had been staring at the amulet in his hand. Made out of gold and sapphire, with the Mortal Kombat dragon emblazoned in the center, it had been a gift from the Elder Gods themselves.

Now, it had several cracks marring its surface.

Raiden frowned as he looked at his amulet. The first crack had appeared after Shinnok's defeat. The second and third cracks appeared following his attack on the Lin Kuei and the remnants of the Edenian Resistance. The fourth came shortly after the abduction of Cassie Cage.

Then he heard the scream. A woman's scream.

Raiden growled to himself. He had told Kano to be more quiet whilst torturing both Cassie and his son. Sometimes, he felt like he was speaking to a spoiled child rather than a murderous mercenary. While he could care less about Kevin – or Kano Junior as his father took to calling him – Cassandra Cage needed to be kept alive. While he didn't care what state Cassie was in, so long as she was alive, he was certain that her parents would in Kano's words, "behave themselves."

Another scream from Cassie, followed by Kano's laughter. Raiden rolled his eyes in annoyance. While Kano served his purpose, even he had his limits.

He had expected to see both Cassie and Kevin, looking even more worse for the wear from Kano's 'tender mercies,' as he liked to call his 'torture sessions.' Raiden had already reprimanded him in regards to Cassie. Why can't she be like Kevin, Raiden thought. At least he didn't scream when his father tortured him.

Sure Cassie saved Earthrealm from Shinnok and the revenants, but this proved that she, along with her parents, were by far the most dangerous of his now-former champions. They would not had agreed to his plans of absorbing Outworld, let alone his alliance with the Black Dragon.

Honestly, he didn't care what state that Cassie was left in. So long as she was still alive, that's what mattered. Her parents, despite their differences, would not be stupid enough to risk their only child's safety. But once Mortal Kombat was finished and Outworld was properly absorbed into Earthrealm...well, that was a whole different matter altogether.

Cassie's scream mingled with Kano's laughter, as Raiden approached the 'classroom.' He had to admit that despite the torture, Cassie was a tough one to break. She had survived the Blood Code and training in Seido, which meant that she could take what Kano dished out.

But for how long?

Maybe he could shock Kevin and make her grovel to him in order to make him stop, perhaps? He'd be sure that Kano and his lieutenants would have a real good laugh over that.

Now that he thought about it...where were Kano's lieutenants? He, nor Scorpion, did not see them following their return from Outworld.

Raiden was reaching for the doorknob when it was blown off its hinges, the twisted piece of metal smashing into him and knocking him to the floor, the now-destroyed door landing several feet behind him.

He then saw the reason why. Kano had been flung through the door. The foul stench of cooked human flesh hit Raiden minutes later. The state of the Australian-born mercenary shocked even Raiden. Given the myriad of bruises, cuts and burns Kano had suffered from head to toe, Raiden was certain that Kano would most likely be dead from his injuries.

And Raiden saw her, emerging from the torture room. A woman, wearing a catsuit favored by Cassie Cage, save that hers was tactical black with red trim. A scarf was around her neck, which doubled as a hood. Her face was also concealed, showing nothing but her eyes - the irises being the color of crimson, while the whites were black.

And the power that was radiating from her...not even Shinnok wielded such power, even after using his amulet on the Jinsei. He unconsciously took a step back.

Cassandra Cage's eyes were glowing in righteous fury as she took in her former mentor. He looked exactly the same as Raiden from the other Earthrealm. Whereas the Raiden she knew preferred to corrupt his champions in order for them to accept his line of thinking, this one took direct action.

"Help...me..." Kano gurgled. "Help...me..."

He cried out as Cassandra stomped on his chest, making him cough up even more blood, the mutant officer favoring her former mentor with a savage grin. Too bad he couldn't see it underneath her mask. " **He was a screamer,** " she said, gesturing to the dying Kano. " **For all his bravado and macho behavior...Kano screamed. Even more so than his friends.** "

Raiden did not hesitate to unleash a torrent of lighting on the girl. Well, it would had made contact if she was not faster, using her telekinesis to ensnare Kano and use him as a human shield. His screams were heard throughout the building. Then the death rattle.

Raiden stopped, but he was too late. Kano was dead.

Cassandra flung the body away. " **The only thing we can do with a mad dog is to put it out of his misery," she said. "And Kano's death was long overdue...along with his lieutenants.** " A ball of cosmic fire blossomed in her open palms. The first one she flung at Kano, while the second was sent sailing into the torture room. Instant incineration. " **I also regret to inform you that both Sergeant Cage and Kano Junior – I mean, Kevin – has prior engagements with both Fujin and S-F. They're both recovering quite nicely under the supervision of General Blade.** "

Raiden's eyes were alight in fury. He had lost not only his chief enforcer, but also his hostages. But he smirked. "I still have Grandmaster Hasashi and the Shirai Ryu," he said.

" **Who are currently butchering the Black Dragon as we speak...** " Cassandra replied. After a pause, she added, " **...along with the Lin Kuei.** "

Raiden fired off another blast of lightning, his angry face now twisted in rage at Hanzo's betrayal and Kuai Liang's survival. Cassandra sidestepped, but was off by a slight second. The lightning blast had nicked her scarf/hood, blowing it off her head, revealing her short blond hair.

"Guess the cat's out of the bag," Cassandra said, her eyes going back to normal as she removed her mask. "It's been a long time. Then again, it wasn't long enough."

Raiden's eyes narrowed. "You have Cassandra Cage's likeness...yet..."

"I'll save you the trouble, moron. I am Cassie Cage," the telepath confirmed, "only from an alternative Earthrealm. The Elder Gods brought me here, and told me what you had done. Hate to inform you that Mortal Kombat has been cancelled. They will not intervene on your behalf. They've gotten tired of your bullshit, and decided to forego Mortal Kombat for something a bit more practical: your termination."

"And you are my executioner? Hardly. I am the God of Thunder! The Elder Gods fear me! Even more so than Shao Kahn and Shinnok!"

"And where I've been for the past nineteen years, I've seen people who can turn you into a red smear," Cassandra replied, unimpressed.

"And you are still an annoying little brat seeking her mother's attention. An annoying brat playing God."

"This annoying brat did what you failed to do, which was to kick Shinnok's face in," Cassandra replied. Another ball of fire materialized in her hand. "My parents saved Earthrealm, and I saved your sorry ass, and you decide to repay them by betraying them both and kidnapping me. You're right about one thing, Raiden. I'm not playing God."

Her eyes went from blue to red, as she borrowed a line from Tony Stark. " **Because I realized that all this time...I've been playing human.** "

Cassandra flung the ball of fire at Raiden, who dodged the attack. That left him open to a vicious uppercut that sent the corrupted god through the ceiling and onto the first floor, with Cassandra jumping after him.

Inside the first floor, the Shirai Ryu and the undercover Lin Kuei were busy butchering the Black Dragon, led by Kuai Liang and Hanzo Hasashi. But Raiden did not have the chance to unleash his fury on the two ninjas, as Cassandra grabbed him and both the mutant and the god crashed through the ceiling and floor, until they smashed through the roof.

In desperation, Raiden managed to shock Cassandra so that she could release him. But she quickly recovered and with a powerful overhead punch, sent Raiden back to the roof.

Outside, on the ground, the Black Dragons were being overrun by S-F, led by Sonya Blade. And much to Raiden's shock, they were accompanied by even more Lin Kuei, being led by Frost.

" **Hate to break the news, but you didn't cripple the Lin Kuei,** " Cassandra said as she floated behind and above Raiden. " **You just fried a ton of cyberninjas into scrap. They weren't cheap, mind you, but blow a couple of million, save countless lives.** "

Raiden gritted his teeth.

" **It burns at you, doesn't it?** " Cassandra taunted. " **Knowing that Mom and Subzero outsmarted you. You shouldn't ha** **d** **kidnap** **ped Cassie.** "

"You will not stop me, Cassandra Cage," Raiden snarled. "I will make an example out of you and kill you in front of your parents and friends."

Cassandra, for her part, looked amused. " **You do realize that I'm distracting you, right?** "

Raiden's eyes widened as he sensed movement from behind him. Spinning around, he was greeted with the sight of Liu Kang's feet smashing into his face repeatedly via his Bicycle Kick, the final blow knocking him towards Kitana, who proceeded to use her Fan Lift to force the dark god into the air, allowing Nightwolf to smash into him shoulder first.

To say that Raiden was surprised was an understatement. He found himself surrounded by the revenants.

Well, former revenants, as they had been restored to life, not the undead mockery that the late Quan Chi once favored. But they were all very much alive.

And on top of that, they were very, very angry.

Raiden unconsciously took a step back. Perhaps threatening them with Shinnok's head was a bad idea?

Not only that, Liu, Kitana, and Nightwolf were imbued with the power from the Elder Gods in order to give them a fighting chance, if the golden hues wafting from their bodies were more than obvious.

For Raiden, it meant one thing. His fate was sealed.

" **You abandoned them to their deaths, Raiden,** " Cassandra's voice made Raiden look upwards. " **Quan Chi returned them to life. I restored their souls, purifying them of the Netherrealm's taint, and brought them back to the land of the living. Funny how events come full circle.** " She smirked, enjoying the look of shock on his face as she gestured to the former revenants. " **They are your executioners. You really shouldn't have tried to incite Armageddon, Raiden. But you should feel fortunate that I've allowed this little reunion between the lot of you.** "

To Liu and Kitana, Cassandra said, " **As you can see, I've honored my end of the bargain." She pointed to Raiden. "One backstabbing thunder god." She turned back to Raiden. "I could have killed you myself, burn your body until there was nothing left. But I stayed my hand. No, I want to see this. I don't want to miss a thing.** "

* * *

Fort Charles - 18 hours later.

He was stretched out on the couch in her office, fast asleep. Honestly, Sonya didn't blame her ex-husband for crashing here. The beds in the infirmary were for lack of a better term, terrible, the chairs much worse. He had spent enough time in one following the events leading to Shinnok's defeat.

Sonya had been up on her feet ever since the destruction of not only the Black Dragon, but also the demise of the corrupted thunder god who orchestrated the kidnapping of her daughter at the hands of the former revenants. The debrief had lasted for over six hours, until Secretary Blake was satisfied. Cassie was recovering in the infirmary, under heavy guard from her soldiers and from her teammates.

After how Kano and Raiden had easily infiltrated and kidnapped Cassie, she wasn't taking any chances. Some saw it as favortism, but Sonya saw it as protecting her only child.

What was even more surprising was that the former right-hand man of Raiden, his former champion and the former princess were the ones responsible for Raiden's destruction, which also mirrored Shao Kahn's demise; consumed by the wrath of the Elder Gods.

It had been a battle for the ages, on par with Johnny and Cassie's fights against Shinnok. And Raiden's former champions had witnessed his downfall.

In his desperation, Raiden even pleaded with the parents of the woman who not only had saved Earthrealm from a rampaging Elder God, but also the same woman of whom Raiden and Kano kidnapped and tortured in order to keep said parents from interfering in his plans to incite Armageddon.

 _"Johnny...Sonya...! Help me!"_

 _"You have the fucking gall to beg for our help after what you and Kano had done to our daughter?! What you tried to do with the Lin Kuei? Well, fuck you, Raiden."_

 _"You made your bed, Raiden. Now lie in it and die."_

Sonya had suspected that the mystery woman who had delivered both her daughter and Kevin to the S-F base had a hand in the demise of the dark thunder god and the Black Dragon as a whole.

Sonya watched as her ex-husband continued to sleep. She had given both Johnny and Cassie so much grief over the years. Even after the divorce, she had treated him with contempt, while she saw her daughter as a subordinate rather than her flesh and blood.

Only when they both were kidnapped and tortured, did she realized what she had nearly lost, both due to her actions and circumstances beyond her control.

Pulling up a chair, she placed it next to the couch and sat down, regarding the sleeping man who was once her husband.

 _"This is what split us up in the first place! Always disappear in your work! Never time for me and Cassie!"_

 _"I have responsibilities. Sorry you couldn't be the center of attention."_

 _"There was a time when you cared more about your family than your job...General."_

Sonya sighed. Johnny had been right. Honestly, she really didn't blame him for divorcing her. She had closed herself off, and thought that by pushing away the two most important people in her life, that she was 'protecting them.'

Kano and Raiden had taken that notion and blasted it to pieces.

"Johnny..." Sonya paused. "Where to begin...I guess it's easier this way. I'm taking the coward's way out, I know, but it doesn't make it anymore easier. After what had happened with Shinnok, I started to take a long look at myself. I didn't like what I saw. It was a lot easier to push both you and Cassie away."

The blonde general sighed. "You were right, Johnny. I hid behind my supposed responsiblities because I didn't want to be hurt again. Instead, I ended up hurting both you and Cassie, as well as myself. I forced you into a no-win situation. I don't blame you for the divorce. I blame myself. And I hid it by showing nothing but contempt towards you. When Kano threatened and later kidnapped Cassie alongside Raiden...I saw an ugly version of myself. Before that, it was Shinnok and the revenants kidnapping you."

Sonya wiped the tears from her eyes. "It hurts, Johnny. To act like I don't give a damn about you when I actually do. You wanted to be civil and I treated you like an asshole. For that, I'm sorry. I honestly don't know how to make up for giving you and Cassie so much grief. All you wanted was a good wife and Cassie wanted a mother. Instead, I got an ex-husband who has the patience of a saint and a daughter who only condones me because I'm her superior. When the revenants took you...when Raiden and Kano kidnapped Cassie...I realized something. If either you or Cassie had died, then a part of me would have died as well. I locked that part away when I lost my fiance and partner, and I did it again when we split."

Sonya took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing. "For all your faults and your ego...you were my conscience. In spite of everything, you reminded me that I have a heart. Even now, you still act my my conscience. Had it not been for you, I'd have strangled Kano to death. One thing's for certain though...at the end of the year, I'm retiring. I don't know what will happen down the line once I give all this up...especially after this. But I do know that no matter what happens..."

She leans in and gives her ex-husband a soft kiss on the forehead. "...I will always love you."

Sonya had reached the door when Johnny's voice caused her to freeze in mid-step. "I'm awake."

Her heart nearly beating out of her chest, Sonya slowly walked back to the chair and sat back down. Her throat now dry, she asked in a low voice, "How long?"

Johnny opened his eyes. "Since 'Johnny.'"

" **I knew it.** "

The actor and his ex-wife nearly jumped out of their skins as the mystery woman emerged in a pillar of flame, her face covered by the hood, yet her face was bowed. " **Sorry. Didn't mean to scare the both of you,** " she apologized.

Johnny and Sonya stood up. "Thank you," Johnny said, "for saving our daughter."

" **You're welcome**."

"The least you can do it tell us your name," Sonya said.

Cassandra raised her head, the red in her eyes changing back to blue. She removed her hood, showing her face to her counterpart's parents. "This is kinda awkward," she admitted, slightly enjoying the look of shock on their faces. "Cassandra Cage, First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army's Special Forces, Tactical Response Unit."

"Cassie?" both Johnny and Sonya parroted.

Cassandra nodded. "Yeah. It's me." She looked at her watch. "I suppose I owe you guys an explanation before I go, as to why I'm here." Her eyes shifted from blue to red. " **Don't move, and don't blink.** "

Showing one's memories was a lot faster than talking, Cassandra realized. And suffice to say, her counterpart's parents were surprised as to the chain of events which led them here. Sonya rejoining the military was no surprise to Johnny. But what shocked Sonya was that Johnny did not go back into acting, opting to become an industrialist, building Cage Incorporated on S-F tech. Raiden going bad and corrupting the champions, ordering the death of Vera Briggs and imprisoning Fujin...Cassandra's version of Raiden was no better than their version.

At least Sonya took grim satisfaction that Cassandra killed Kano in her version of Earth.

"So you're from an alternative Earth in which you and well...both your mother and me fled to, along with Liu Kang and Kitana, right?" Johnny asked.

Cassandra nodded.

"And Raiden found out, and sent Kano to kill us and to bring you and Ravenna back?" Sonya seconded.

Another nod. "We managed to defeat the Black Dragon and the Hand, but the survivors chose ritual suicide. Then Shang Tsung kidnapped Ravenna and took her back to Earthrealm. I was preparing for the retrieval mission when the Elder Gods brought me here. And the rest is history."

"And somewhere in between, you discovered that you were a mutant and became the host to a cosmic entity that is life and death personified."

Cassandra looked amused at her mother's analysis. "Something like that. The Phoenix Force was split between Ravenna and myself. She got the light half, while I got the dark. When I was transported here, I somehow got the light half, which allowed me to revive Liu and the others, not to mention it allowed me to heal Cassie."

"So what happens now?" Johnny asked.

"Hopefully with Raiden now dead and Fujin in charge, things will calm down a bit," Cassie replied. "Armageddon's been averted. Liu and the others are rebuilding Edenian. My job's done here. I need to head back." She rose from her seat and started to summon a portal, but hesitated. Turning back to Johnny and Sonya, now on their feet, Cassandra said, "If anyone asks, don't tell them that it was me. Tell them that it was the Phoenix."

Johnny and Sonya nodded.

"Oh, and one more thing," Cassandra added as she summoned the portal that would take her back. "On Shang Tsung's Island, there is a hidden chamber inside the Throne Room, located underneath his throne. You'll find something of interest there."

"Which is...?" prodded Johnny.

Cassandra favored an enigmatic smile. "A bit of reading material. Let's just say that once you start reading, retirement will have to wait. Take care of yourself."

"You too," Sonya replied. "And good luck."

"Thanks."

The portal shimmered to a close once Cassandra Cage stepped through. Johnny turned to Sonya. "Wanna check on Cass?"

Sonya nodded. "When we're done checking up on Cassie...you think we can talk a bit more over a cup of coffee?"

Johnny smiled. A genuine one, at that. "I'd like that. We got a lot of catching up to do."

"That we do. And we have a trip to plan."

It wasn't much, but it was a start for the former couple. Now with Raiden and Kano both dead, things can calm down. And hopefully, for Sonya and Johnny, they could at least be a family again.


	25. Side Story 3: The Union Vale Raid

**Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe Side Story: The Union Vale Raid**

Snafu's Notes: Here is the side story in regards to the Union Vale raid. In this chapter, the rule regarding 'Chekhov's Gun' is in effect. If you don't know what it is, this is 'Chekhov's Gun' in a nutshell: the rifle seen in the background will eventually be fired at a later date. Also, this chapter is **long**. This will be the last of the Side Stories for a while. After this, we will go into the Earthrealm mission proper.

Cage Incorporated – New York City Branch. The morning after the Secret Avengers' raid on the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility.

It had been shortly after Liu Kang's fight with Iron Fist that Mey had gotten the call from Kitana. Apparently, due to her speaking in Edenian, Johnny Cage had correctly assumed that she had been a Red Lotus spy.

What was even more surprising was that Johnny had allowed her to remain on as not only his assistant, but as a go-between for the Red Lotus and Cage Incorporated.

"Some people would see this as giving one enough rope to hang themselves," Johnny had told her. "But despite our differences, I have no problem with the Shaolin and his wife, despite the both of them and Jade being assassins, and I hope that he feels the same about me and my family. That not only having you around feeding info to Liu and Kitana not only amused, me, but unlike my last secretary, you are very effective at your job."

Had Mey's cover been blown had she been working undercover at either Stark Enterprises or at S.H.I.E.L.D., then the Avengers would had long since been at the Red Lotus' doorstep...which would ultimately lead to more complications for Cage and his family.

Plus, for Mey, Johnny was a nice guy and a decent boss. And she made good coin working as his secretary.

At the moment, the secretary/Red Lotus operative watched as the Cage patriarch sparred with his elder daughter in the workout room of Cage Incorporated. One thing about Johnny Cage was that he wanted the mind to be as strong as the body. Aside from a couple of low-level employees working on the treadmill, the place was practically empty, save for father and daughter, who sparred on the practice mats, Johnny in his old black pair of sweatpants and sleevless shirt, while Cassie favored a blue tanktop and a pair of black trackpants with white trim. Her hands and feet were bound with boxing tape, the blonde hair tied back in a bun.

In the six years she 'worked' for Cage Incorporated, Mey knew that the Cage family can fight. She had even seen Cassie and both parents train Ravenna. Liu and Kitana even held a grudging form of respect towards Johnny and Cassie in regards to their exploits against Shinnok. Jade had found it amusing, her adopted mother having a laugh at Liu and Kitana's expense.

But despite the married grandmasters' obvious dislike of the former actor and his family, Mey actually respected them. She had met Johnny and Sonya back when she was a child, an orphan growing up in the streets of San Francisco. She had been the one to deliver Liu and Kitana's message, asking for a sit-down in Portsmouth Square.

"Martial arts isn't just a physical sport, or a means for self-defense," Johnny had said to his daughters one day. "It's a conversation. A match isn't just a fight, but an exchange in knowledge, a kind of language, of bodies in motion with each other."

Liu, who had been in San Francisco that day visiting a Red Lotus operative who lived in Chinatown, had watched the training session from the shadows. Although given that both girls were mutants, he suspected that Johnny knew that he was there. Johnny had came a long way from the boisterous film star that tried to get into Sonya's pants back on Shang Tsung's Island, he realized.

"I never thought of martial arts that way, and I'm a former monk," the former revenant had said to Kitana after telling her of what Johnny had said.

Mey had seen several good fights between the Cage family over the years. One particular one had originally been between Johnny and Sonya. Then, Cassie and Ravenna had jumped in, and Johnny found himself on the receiving end of a handicap match, which ended with Sonya sitting on his back, and both girls each with a leg pulled back in a Boston Crab.

Mey had a real good laugh over that one.

Another thing she respected about her boss and his wife was the fact that they had trained the girls not to use their powers as a crutch. Some heroes and villains had no training in hand-to-hand combat, but Johnny and Sonya made sure that their girls can fight.

And she can easily keep up with her parents. Which is why this match has been going on for the past half-hour. Cassie had decided to tag along to New York with her father, despite the danger.

The Superhuman Registration Act was now law, and Cassie was a mutant alongside her sister. However, both Cassie and Ravenna were on the military registry, as was Johnny.

So far, Cassie was unable to catch her father with a single shot. Johnny, on the other hand, was busy tossing his daughter around like a rag doll.

The next blow almost caught Johnny on the shoulder, but he barely managed to dodge the blow in time.

Cassie smirked. "Getting slow in your old age, Dad?" she taunted.

Johnny responded by grabbing Cassie's wrist and flipping her to the ground. "To borrow a line from your mother, 'Experience trumps youth,' Cassandra," he replied as he calmly raised his left leg, in order to avoid Cassie's attempt to sweep it after she got back to her feet.

As the fight resumed, Mey's phone began to ring. Retrieving the smart phone, she saw that it was the secretary. The woman was direct and to the point, Mey noted as she answered the phone. "Please tell the Chairman that his 10:30 appointment will arrive in five minutes."

'Damn,' Mey thought as the spar continued. 'I really wanted to see the end of this match.'

* * *

About 20 minutes earlier...

Tony Stark had been in a foul mood.

The plan had been one hundred percent foolproof, as he himself had planned it down to the slightest detail. Lure the Secret Avengers to the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, with them believing that Captain America was located, not dead, but in a coma, where he and the Mighty Avengers would finally bring them down.

He, nor the other Avengers did not take into consideration that Doctor Strange had joined the Secret Avengers, and was on their team.

The image of a zombified Captain America had really spooked him. He had barely got any sleep over that fact. Doctor Strange knew where and how to hit them, exposing their minds to what they feared the most, allowing them to escape.

That was not the worst of it, though.

Matt Murdock had been released from imprisonment in the Negative Zone. As it turned out, the military registry was a more popular alternative than signing on with the Superhuman Registration Act, the other being relocation out of the country. Canada was the more popular choice, as Peter Parker sent his wife and aunt to Toronto following his defection, while Ben Grimm was enjoying Paris.

Murdock, however, was small potatoes at the moment. He had bigger fish to fry in the form of Daniel Rand.

Which is why he led the Mighty Avengers to the Rand Corporation building, only to find the superhero and business rival absent.

He soon got the answer from his secretary when asked.

"Mr. Rand and his lawyer are on their way to Cage Incorporated, at the invitation of Chairman Cage."

* * *

Ten minutes later, inside the Executive Office...

The Cheyenne-born mutant/shaman studied the schematics of the bionic implants with great interest. He typed in several keys on the keyboard and the schematics went further into detail.

Johnny smirked. He knew that the artificial limb technology would be something that would capture Forge's interest. As a mutant, he could make the bionic technology even more better, even more so than Jax's bionic implants.

"I have to say, Chairman," Forge began, "these are very impressive. Very advanced tech. I suppose this is where I come in, due to my abilities, correct?"

Johnny nodded. "Cassie recommended you, and I trust in her judgement."

Forge looked at Cassie and smiled. "I am humbled by your praise, Cassandra."

Cassie returned the smile. "I learned from the best when it comes to mechanics. That's why I recommended you to Dad."

Forge 'hmmed.' "I can see that some improvements can be made in the tech."

"I told Sonya the same thing," Johnny replied. "I know you got your responsibilities with the X-Men, which is why I'm offering to pay you a consultant's fee for your help in the company's bionics research. Either that, or I can make a donation to the Xavier School. Your choice."

"Let me speak with Xavier and I'll get back to you on that," Forge replied. "And yes, this means that I agree to take a look at the research. I can probably increase the tech's efficiency by..." He took a moment to do the numbers in his head. "...at least sixty percent. Seventy, at the most."

Johnny nodded. "It's a start." He turned to Cassie and nodded. The young lieutenant pulled out a flash drive and tossed it to Forge, who caught it with his bionic hand. "A copy of the schematics."

Forge nodded. He stood up, shook Johnny's hand, and with a nod to Cassie, exited the office. The daughter turned to the father. "Well?"

"We'll see what Forge can come up with," Johnny replied.

There was a knock on the door. The door opened and in walked Mey, followed by Danny Rand and his senior attorney. "Chairman. Daniel Rand and Jerwyn Hogarth," she spoke in Japanese.

"Does she always speak in Japanese?" Cassie asked as she and her father rose from their place on the couch.

"Not many businessmen can speak and translate Japanese," her father replied.

"Plus, it annoys people," Mey added, this time in English.

Cassie rolled her eyes as her father shook hands with Danny. "Danny. Glad you decided to come." He then shook hands with his lawyer. "Jerwyn."

"Chairman," Hogarth replied stiffly.

Both parties sat down. "I understand you and your friends had a bit of trouble last night involving Stark and his band of sellouts," Johnny said.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

Johnny smirked. "Cage Incorporated and the Tactical Response Unit have ears," he replied. "Our ears have ears. You guys were pretty lucky to have Doctor Strange on your team last night, otherwise you'd all been at the bed-and-breakfast in the Negative Zone."

Danny snorted. "He wouldn't allow it," he replied, pointing at Hogarth. "He'd be out of a job if that happened." He leaned forward. "Why did you ask me to come here, let alone him?"

"If anyone asks, I invited both you and your attorney here to discuss a promising business venture, of which you turned down due to both your responsibilities as CEO of your own respective business and your superhero duties," Johnny replied. "In truth, I'm here to help not only you, but Luke and the others, to try and take some of the heat off of your back."

"I'm listening," Danny replied.

"First off, a certain blind lawyer has returned from his stay at the Negative Zone."

Danny was surprised. "Matt's back? How...?"

Johnny turned to Mey, and nodded. The bespectacled woman produced several sheets of paper and handed them over to Danny, who began to scan the contents. "This is a section of the Superhuman Registration Act," Danny said.

"Section 11, Paragraph 4, to be precise," Johnny said. "Keep reading."

Danny did, and as he continued to read, the realization begin to sink in. Johnny Cage has just shown him a loophole in the Act. He looked up at the older man. "Is this for real?"

"Ah...I know that look from anywhere," Johnny noted. "What you hold in your hand is indeed a loophole for the S.H.R.A. You can thank my better half for discovering this juicy tidbit. There are two separate registries: the one operated by S.H.I.E.L.D., and the second by the U.S. Armed Forces. It was one of the conditions requested by the military, as most of the senior officers don't entirely trust S.H.I.E.L.D."

Danny, in the meantime, handed the papers over to Hogarth, who began to scan them closely.

"As you already read, any superhuman or mutant who has ties to the military be it by marriage to an active serviceman or officer is automatically on the registry," Johnny continued. "Any superhuman actively working with the military is also exempt from having to sign on with S.H.I.E.L.D." He leaned forward. "My wife has friends down in Fort Burton, as the base trains some of her Special Forces troops there. If you sign on, you and your friends can work out of there. Stark and his buddies can't touch you there. The base is safe and secure, and Luke don't have to worry about Jessica and Dani's safety."

Danny took a moment to digest this information. Then he turned to Hogarth. "Jerwyn?"

"It's ironclad, Danny," his counselor replied. "If I were you, I'd talk with the others about joining the military registry."

Danny nodded. He turned back to Johnny. "Okay, you and your daughters, I definitely see having signed on the military registry, due to the both of them being mutants" he said. "Why are you helping me and the others?"

"Several of Sonya's soldiers are mutants, and are under the military registry as well. Sometimes, in order to do good, you'd have to break the law."

"And here, just when I think you can't surprise me any more than you already have, Cage," Danny said. "Thanks. I'll pass this on to Luke and the others."

"Not that Stark and the others can do anything about it," Johnny said, "unless he wants the bad attention sending a registered military officer to the Negative Zone. So far, it's working. S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to arrest several superhumans for not registering under the Act, but were forced to release them once they found out that they were under the military registry."

Danny chuckled. "I remembered hearing about that. Stark turned a nice shade of red at that when the military demanded their release."

"Stark can't handle the bad publicity if that happens," Hogarth noted.

Johnny's expression then turned grim. "There's more than just the military registry that I wanted to talk to you about. What do you know about Skrulls?"

"Shape-shifting aliens," Rand replied. "Why?"

It was Cassie that spoke. "About two days ago, I was ambushed by one who had my appearance at Fort Charles. Not only it looked liked me, but it also fought with Nightcrawler's teleport, Johnny Storm's fire powers, and Cyclops' eye-beams." She smiled meanly. "There's a reason why my family and I don't want people to know that I'm a mutant. That Skrull learned the hard way not to fuck with a Cage."

"Sonya and I found Cassie and her copy fighting. We managed to subdue the Skrull, and Cassie read its mind." Johnny's expression turned grave. "The Skrulls are infiltrating the planet."

"A secret invasion of sorts?"

Johnny and Cassie both nodded. "From the looks of things, this has been going on quite some time. The Skrulls have replaced heroes with impostors."

"He speaks the truth," Mey added. "Our...mutual friends were less than amused upon discovering that there were Skrulls in their midst. They were dealt with...extreme prejudice. After they spilled their guts, of course."

Danny caught the meaning. The Skrulls had attempted to infiltrate the Red Lotus, but were caught and executed by the three grandmasters...but not before they broke down and told them what they knew.

"Both Liu and myself shared what we know," Johnny said. "And now, I'm telling you."

Cassie's head snapped towards the door. ' **Heads up, you guys,** ' she warned. ' **We got company. Stark and the Mighty Avengers are here.** ' She turned to Danny. ' **They're here for you.** '

"Hey! You can't go in there! He's in a meeting with Chairman Cage!" the panicked voice of the secretary outside the office was heard shouting from outside. "You can't go in there!"

The doors to the office were thrown open and in walked the Mighty Avengers. While Wonder Man, Ms. Marvel, Ares, Wasp, Black Widow and The Sentry were in uniform, Tony chose to go with a dark three-piece business suit with tie, of which the Mighty Avengers had dubbed as 'Director Stark' mode.

Cassie scanned Stark and the Mighty Avengers. All were human, thankfully. Save for Ares, as he was a god.

For his part, Johnny looked rather annoyed. Cassie looked concerned, despite the looks she was exchanging with Wonder Man. "I'm starting to think that being director of S.H.I.E.L.D. has gone to your head, Stark. Either you must be very brave or very stupid to come barging in here."

"This has nothing to do with you, Cage," Stark replied. He pointed to Danny. "My business is with Rand."

"You're interrupting a business meeting between myself and Chairman Cage," Danny stated in a flat tone. "Make it quick."

"Fine. We'd like to talk to you about last night."

Danny played dumb. "And what exactly happened last night?"

"Oh...so it's going to be one of those conversations, Rand?" the Iron Avenger replied. "That one of us pretends not to know what the other is going to say? Fine. Last night, you – as Iron Fist – were among the Secret Avengers that broke into a classified S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. You sure you want to have this conversation in front of Chairman Cage and his daughter?"

Danny waved his hand dismissively. "I was at the office until late last night. Go and check the logs with your suit."

"Oh, spare me the..."

Danny cut Tony off. "Wasn't me, Stark. Could have been one of the copycats posing as me. If memory serves, there were at least three Daredevils running around a while back."

"Danny, you and the others are breaking the law," Ms. Marvel interjected. "Now all the good that you've done in this world is..."

"Excuse me, I'm Jerwyn Hogarth, senior attorney for Mr. Rand," Hogarth interrupted. "Exactly what law is he breaking?" Then, as an afterthought, he added, "And please speak up. If I know Chairman Cage, he's recording this meeting."

Stark wasn't surprised. "I know."

Ms. Marvel scoffed, her blue eyes glaring at Johnny. "Of course you're recording this."

"Audio and visual. Standard procedure," confirmed Johnny.

"Your client, Mr. Hogarth, is not registered with S.H.I.E.L.D.," Stark said.

"But he is registered with the federal government as a lethal weapon under the law," Hogarth replied. "Second, there is the military database, in which is not only separate from the S.H.I.E.L.D. database, but is also under the rules and regulations of the registration act." He leaned back in his chair. "As you claim that my client has to also register with your organization, that has yet to be laid out in the courtroom. We already have an appeal with the federal court to define what exactly is a power..."

Ms. Marvel cut him off. "Oh, shut up, you wig-wearing hack." She turned to Danny. "Danny, please. Listen to us for once. Luke and Jessica...they have Danielle to worry about. This is a very dangerous game you're playing. What is the endgame here? What do you plan on gaining if you continue down this path? Someone is going to get hurt."

Danny frowned. "You mean someone other than Captain America and Goliath?"

Carol flinched, as did the others. "That was low, Rand. Even for you."

"But true," Danny replied.

"Are you pressing charges against my client, Stark?" Hogarth asked. "And if you are, with what evidence?"

Stark smirked as he produced his PDA. Punching in several buttons on the screen, a holograph took shape, clearly showing not only Danny as Iron Fist, but the rest of the Secret Avengers as well. "Please understand how the technology of my armor works, Counselor. I have scans, radars and environmental sensors running at all times and recording anything and everything I come into contact with. Including last night."

"In other words, we have you dead to rights, Rand," Black Widow added.

Surprisingly enough, Hogarth didn't cave. "In that case, I hope you're prepared to have not only those files, but your tech subpoenaed by the highest courts in the country. If you admit one file, then we will subpoena all the files."

Johnny mentally smirked. Stark had overplayed his hand.

"Now the question you need to ask yourself is this, Stark," Hogarth continued. "What will last longer: the ensuing trial or your tenure as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.?" He grinned. "But I'd be more worried about the impending lawsuit that the Rand Corporation will file for unlawful arrest and harassment."

Stark said nothing. He knew that he lost this round. He dismissed the holograph and turned on his heels. "Let's go," he muttered.

The Mighty Avengers departed from the room without a single word. Carol, on the other hand, glared at Hogarth. "I hope your wig glue makes you impotent." To Danny, she pleaded with him one final time. "Please, Danny. Tell them to stop. Please."

"Let's go, Carol," Iron Man repeated.

The Human-Kree superheroine was near the door when Johnny spoke. "Heroes fighting heroes. Makes you wonder what the bad guys are doing."

Carol spun around and stormed over towards the Chairman of Cage Incorporated, anger flashing in her eyes. Alarmed, Cassie rose from her seat, her hand reaching for her Desert Eagle, but a gesture from her father made her stay her hand. Carol stopped in her tracks, looking at Cassie, her eyes daring her to do something stupid.

And after her fight with Sonya, Carol wasn't about to take any chances with her daughter.

"What do you know about being a hero, Cage?" Carol demanded.

Johnny smiled. It wasn't his usual Hollywood smirk, but rather one that had 'enigma' written all over it. "More than you ever know, Carol. More than you ever know."

"Carol." Stark's voice echoed from outside. "Let's go."

Giving Johnny another hard glare, to which Johnny lost his smile and leveled his own glare on her. 'The Cage Glare,' as Cassie called it. Carol turned and stalked out of the room.

* * *

Minutes later...

Danny wasn't surprised to see that while the other Mighty Avengers had returned to Stark Tower, Tony remained behind, waiting for him in the lobby of the building.

"What now, Stark?" Danny demanded.

The Director of SHIELD quickly fell into step with the Immortal Iron Fist. "What's the endgame here?" Tony asked. "I know you, Danny. I know Luke and the others. I just...for the life of me, I can't figure out what you're doing. Just what are you trying to accomplish? The Civil War is over. You fought and lost."

"Luke and the others would be inclined to disagree," Danny replied.

Tony sighed. "You...Luke and the others...could just accept that, and join us. You can be Avengers again. Only difference is that I'm not going to bullshit you, or sell you. But I got to know. What are you trying to accomplish here? Just what kind of life is this? Are you and the others rebelling just because you don't know what else to do? I really want to know, Danny."

Danny stopped walking, as did Tony and Hogarth. The younger man slowly turned to his former ally. "There's a saying. 'Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, then give him power.' From what I've seen of you running S.H.I.E.L.D., you're only doing this not to satisfy your ego, but out of guilt. You want to know why we're fighting you, Stark? Fine. We're helping people the way we want to, and that means not working for a government whose agenda is created by people whose motives we don't know. That's not what the people need. We're not the enemy here."

"The people need order," Tony insisted. "They need to know that we can do our job without causing any collateral damage."

"Remind me just how much collateral damage you've caused in the past, Stark? You've sent insurance premiums through the roof alone with your past antics."

Stark frowned. "But I'm not the one who wiped out a neighborhood and school."

"What happened at Stamford...the blame falls on Nitro and on Declan. Not us. Whoever killed those two did us both a favor. Logan and Namor were both disappointed when they didn't get their pound of flesh from him. You're quick to persecute those who just want to help people, yet you give a free pass to the persons responsible for this mess in the first place."

"What do you think the end of the story is, Danny? 'Cause if you know an ending better than the one I can think of...please tell me. Let me in on it."

"Tell that to Goliath and Cap," Danny replied before exiting the building and getting into the car.

Tony watched him leave, shoulders slumped. It was a long walk back to Stark Tower, as he had plenty to think about.

* * *

Later, at the Secret Avengers' hideout...

Once Danny had arrived as Iron Fist via portal thanks to Doctor Strange, he had called for an emergency meeting of the Secret Avengers. The notes detailing the military registry were placed on the table, as the Warrior of K'un-Lun explained the events from earlier in the day, from his meeting with Johnny Cage to the confrontation with Stark and the Mighty Avengers.

The Secret Avengers – Luke Cage, Clint Barton sans his Ronin uniform, Stephen Strange, Spider-Man and Spider-Woman – were each seated in various pieces of furniture, save for Logan, who was leaning up against the wall, while Wong continued to perform his duties as Strange's servant.

Luke looked pensive. On one side, here was a golden ticket that allowed him and his team to continue with their duties without being harassed by Stark or S.H.I.E.L.D., not to mention that it was also a way in which both Danielle and Jessica would remain safe. On the other, it meant signing on with not only the government, but the armed forces instead.

"Is it legit?" Barton asked. "Can you trust Johnny Cage?"

Danny nodded. "Both Luke and myself can vouch for him," he said, with Luke nodded in the positive. "Johnny's as honest as they come."

"Plus, both Cassie and Raven are mutants," Logan added, in regards to Johnny's daughters. "They came up trainin' under Xavier and myself. Johnny's putting himself at risk in telling us about the registry. I know the base. Fort Burton has a small mutant population there."

"And Stark can't just march onto the base and arrest us, even if we are under the registry?" Jessica asked.

"He learned the hard way that by arresting someone under the registry draws unwanted attention to himself, the Mighty Avengers, and to S.H.I.E.L.D.," Spider-Man replied. He tapped the documents. "I found out about this after I was given a tour of the Prison 42. Stark purposely hid it from me because he knew I was going to flip." He turned to Luke. "Military protection...and Stark can't touch us with a 10-foot pole...I'd take it."

"I know you don't like this, Luke," Strange interjected, "but sometimes, being in charge means you have to make the tough decisions."

Luke sighed. "I know. I also know that I want what's best for all of us...for the baby." His next words were one that no one was expecting. "Majority vote."

Everyone looked at him with surprise.

"Cap once told me that to be a leader, then you have to lose," Luke continued. "And believe you me, I've lost plenty. We all have. Cap...Goliath...many good friends cause Stark sold out. We vote on it. All in favor?"

Everyone raised their hands, Wong included.

"Guess opposing is out the question," Luke grumbled. "At least now we can work out of a secure location. So how does this work, Danny?"

"We go to Fort Burton, and have a talk with the base commander. We don't have to enlist or anything, as they can make an exception for us. Turns out the man in charge doesn't like Stark anymore than we do."

Luke nodded. "We'll let Stark and his sellouts work tonight. We leave for Fort Burton in the morning."

* * *

Near Union Vale...

The Superhuman Restraint Unit was created by S.H.I.E.L.D. with the sole purpose of tracking down and arresting any superhero that was not registered under the Superhuman Registration Act, which would then follow with the perp being sent to Prison 42, located in the Negative Zone.

With the exception of some heroes who managed to escape, the Capekillers had a success rate of 97 percent.

Which lead to the reason why Iron Man and the Mighty Avengers had led a squad of Capekillers into Union Vale. In the hours before the Act was made into law, Jessica Jones and her daughter, Danielle, had fled New York for the safety of Toronto. Luke Cage, her husband, opted to remain behind.

Now, Maria Hill had found out that Jessica Jones was trying to make her way back to her husband, and the Mighty Avengers, and was hiding out in Union Vale until her husband can get to her.

It was a 50-50 chance that should Iron Man and the Mighty Avengers were successful in taking Jessica and Danielle into custody, then Luke and the Secret Avengers would surrender without a fight. Worst case scenario? Luke would trash Stark Tower.

Either way, this tip was something that the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. could not ignore.

* * *

Hooking up her MP3 player to a speaker, Cassie scrolled down her list of playlists, until she found the one she was looking for. One perk of playing her music full blast was that her parents were not here.

With the right music blaring throughout the second floor, Cassie walked into the bathroom.

* * *

Outside...

The house, to Iron Man, looked to be nothing special. A three bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom, complete with an outdoor deck. Despite its appearance, it looked rather cozy. A private hideaway for a romantic rendezvous.

But to him and the Mighty Avengers, it was a safehouse containing Jessica Jones.

The security alarm was disabled, the electronic doors now unlocked.

Turning to the lead Capekiller, he gave his orders. "I want Jones subdued and the daughter unharmed. Danvers and Ares will back you up, if needs be."

The lead Capekiller nodded. Giving his men a silent hand signal, they moved in through the front door and the patio's sliding doors, cutting off any chance of escape, followed by Carol and Ares. Simon was in the skies, just in case Jessica attempted to flee there. The living room and dining room was dark, the only source of light and the music coming from a bedroom upstairs.

 _ **All I want is to make a killing**_

 _ **To drill a killer might be really thrilling**_

Carol frowned. Since when did Jessica listen to punk rock? She recognized the song as well, as it was one of her favorites. Turning to the lead Capekiller, she gave him a nod, the order to move in.

 _ **Why are my victims so unwilling?**_

 _ **You can't be sure that you won't see me...**_

 _ **Careful with that axe, you meanie!**_

The Capekiller nodded and leading his men single file up the stairs, weapons at the ready.

"Catch, catch, the horror taxi," a female voice said, singing along. "I'm in love with a video nasty."

Now the retrieval team took position on both sides of the slightly open door, ten in total. Pressing the barrel of his gun up against the door, the lead agent pushed it open.

"Catch catch, the horror train. Freeze-frame gonna drive you insane..."

Instead of a woman with a baby, the Capekillers were greeted with the sight of a dancing woman with short blonde hair, fresh from her shower, wearing nothing but a pair of cotton shorts under her underwear. Her back was towards the Capekillers, giving them a nice view of the phoenix tattoo on her back, of which she covered with a dark tanktop.

He and his teammates were still gawking at her as the song ended.

"Umm..."

The woman spun around, and saw the Capekillers, gawking at her. She screamed, as she just had her privacy invaded, which was followed by...

"PERVERT!"

The lead Capekiller found out two things about the unknown woman. One, she was fast, as she closed the distance between them in a matter of seconds. Second, as the broken jaw could attest, she was very strong. Fortunately, he was rendered unconscious as the blow knocked him out of the room.

Then, upon charging out of the room, she saw the other Capekillers. Her reaction was instant.

One thing for certain, Cassandra Cage wondered who her mother was going to kill when this is all over; Stark for leading his band of misfits here, or herself for allowing her home to be trashed.

But as she charged towards the Capekillers, one thing was for certain, Stark was going to pay for this.

* * *

Cassie cursed to herself. Her Glocks were on the living room table.

"Open fire! OPEN FIRE!" one of the Capekillers screamed.

Cassie's foot slammed into the downed Capekiller, who was still cradling his jaw, as it had been broken. The man now found himself being punted into the air, crashing into his comrades, knocking them back. The Capekiller that charged at her ended up with his helmet yanked from his head, followed by her slamming his head into the wall.

Still holding the Capekiller's helmet in her hand, Cassie swung it, catching the next Capekiller that charged with an electrified stun baton in the face, making him spin 180 degrees. The hard drop kick to his back knocked him down yet again.

Mentally Cassie smirked to herself. The Superhuman Restraint Unit was created to bring down renegade superheroes. Obviously, neither Hill nor Stark did not take into consideration a highly-trained martial artist tearing through their elite unit as the Capekillers attacked, while some retreated, the narrow hallway giving them a serious disadvantage.

Then, as her senses screamed for her to take a step back – which she barely did – the door leading to her old bedroom exploded, and Ms. Marvel joined in the fray.

Cassie didn't hesitate. Danvers sure as hell did, as she recognized the daughter of Johnny Cage, and that distraction cost her. Cassie swung the helmet in her hands. Once, twice, three times, stunning the superheroine. This allowed Cassie to Shadow Kick Ms. Marvel back into her old bedroom...and through the window.

* * *

"PERVERT!"

'That does not sound like Jess,' Iron Man thought as the sounds of violence began to filter into his headset. "Report!" he barked into the headset.

"Contact! We made contact!" one of the Capekillers replied. "Spencer is down! Jesus, she's fast! And strong! She just took out Ms. Marvel!"

As if on cue, a window exploded, the unconscious form of Ms. Marvel having been tossed through it, her nose obviously broken. She landed hard on the driveway.

"Stark!" Simon's voice came through the headset. "Need some help?!"

"No! Keep your position just in case Jessica tries to flee!" Iron Man replied as he charged through the front door...

...and had narrowly dodged another Capekiller sent in his direction. He had expected Jessica to surrender without a fight, as to not put Danielle in danger.

Apparently, he was wrong, as the broken bodies of the Capekillers were strewn all over the dining room and living room. And the woman in question was fighting Ares.

* * *

Cassie had experiences in fighting insane gods. While Ares himself was a god, he was no Shinnok. The God of War had watched as Cassie decimated the Capekillers. Then he himself jumped into the fray, sword in hand. However, the last Capekiller that Cassie had slammed into the living room's coffee table had knocked her Glocks into the air.

Cassie caught them and after dodging a sword swipe at her torso, flipped her guns so that she was gripping the barrels, which were pulled back to show that they were not loaded, and began to pistol-whip Ares repeatedly, the final blow knocking off his helmet. Then, as Ares was stunned, Cassie ducked, legs extended into a split, dropped one of her guns, and let loose with a vicious uppercut right into Ares' crotch with bone-breaking force. Had Ares not been a God, then Cassie would had destroyed his testes.

Grabbing her other gun, Cassie once again reversed the grip, and slammed both handles into Ares' skull. She then followed through with a Flip Kick, knocking Ares on his ass, and destroying the couch.

She did not hear the soft whine of Iron Man's repulsors until it was too late.

* * *

The Iron Avenger did not hesitate. He blasted the woman, who screamed as the blast struck her and sent her flying into the wall, where she landed face-down, the helmet falling to the floor.

With the woman down for the count, Iron Man turned to Ares. "You okay?"

Ares nodded. "I've been hit even harder from my half-brother. I shall live to fight another day." He looked at the downed woman. "That is not Jessica Jones."

A feeling of dread began to seep into Tony's gut. He had seen that hairstyle before. A quick scan showed that the woman was still alive as he walked over to her.

It was only when Iron Man turned the unconscious, groaning woman over, did he realize his error. It wasn't Jessica Jones Cage that had blew through most of the Capekillers and KO'ed several of the Mighty Avengers.

He was staring into the face of Cassandra Cage.

"That is Cassandra Cage, the daughter of Johnny Cage," Ares said as he limped over to stand at Iron Man's side. He picked up a photo, was was that of the Cage family. "It appears that this is her childhood home."

Two words came into Tony's mind, of which he uttered. "Oh, shit."

"Stark!" Maria's voice came through on the com. "What happened? Is Jones in custody."

"No. It's even worse than we thought," Iron Man replied. "The info was bad."

"How bad?"

Tony transferred an image of the downed Cassie to Maria. "That bad."

"...oh shit," Maria cursed, voicing the same sentiments now shared with Stark himself.

* * *

The Helicarrier, later on...

Natasha Romanoff had a look of amusement as she watched the video of the botched raid, along with the rest of the Mighty Avengers. "I don't know if she's that good or if the Capekillers are that bad," the Black Widow mused.

Maria Hill frowned. "She broke Ms. Marvel's nose, gave Ares a concussion, and put nine Capekillers in the medical bay," she sniped.

The Deputy Director of SHIELD was in a foul mood upon discovering that the whole operation went FUBAR. Even more so than discovering that Jessica Jones had long since returned to town. Meaning that whoever had given them the false info either had a grudge against the Cage family or against S.H.I.E.L.D.

Alongside the video, Cassie's military registry dossier was put up on the screen. Natasha looked at the file. "Hmm...natual gymnast. Proficient in Boxing, Taekwondo, Karate and Jujitsu." She chuckled. "I'm starting to like this girl."

"This mission has been one giant clusterfuck," Dum Dum Dugan said, arms folded. "My guess is that someone had sent us upstate as a distraction. And we fell for it, hook, line and sinker."

Maria turned to the blonde woman who had just entered the room. "Agent Hook, what is the status of our guest?"

The telepath/S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, one Olivia Hook, replied, "She is awake and alert. And she is not in the least amused that she has been brought here as a prisoner. I tried to read her mind, but she has powerful mental blocks in place. I did, however, manage to get some bits and pieces. She had been kidnapped by HYDRA in the past, but was able to escape their clutches, but not before destroying their base. The second is more...perplexing."

"Perplexing how?" Tony demanded.

"A Skrull attempted to replace her, but was quickly subdued by both herself and her mother. Lieutenant Cage executed the Skrull herself via headshot."

"Well that explains why she was hostile when we raided the place," Dugan said. "She was kidnapped in the past and a Skrull almost did the same."

"Still doesn't excuse what she had did," Maria said. "Cassandra Cage has to answer for what she has done."

She walked out of the room, with Iron Man behind her.

* * *

Cassie Cage was no stranger to being abducted. In fact, she was kind of an old hat to the thing. First, it was the Black Dragon on Kano's orders back in Eathrealm, in which both she and Jacqui were kidnapped. Interestingly enough, S.H.I.E.L.D. was behind the second attempt, but that was just to test her skills. Captain America had offered her a place as an Avenger, but she declined.

Then, it was HYDRA. Maybe it was the dark side of the Phoenix Force within her, but Cassie took sadistic delight in destroying their hidden base and using her powers to drive the scientists and soldiers to madness, leading them to kill each other off. She had narrowly escaped, but suspected that Jessica Drew – Spiderwoman – knew what she had done. The Skrull impersonating her was more of a challenge, as it had the powers of the Human Torch, Nightcrawler and Cyclops.

After beating it within an inch of its life, Cassie had brought it to her mother. Sonya's reaction was immediate; first, she ordered its execution, of which Cassie had snapped its neck. Then, she ordered the entire base to be scanned for anymore Skrulls. Fortunately, there were none.

Before snapping its neck, Cassie had read its mind, and had accquired a plethora of information. The Skrulls were launching a secret invasion of Earth, with the Skrull Queen disguised as Jessica Drew, aka Spiderwoman, by capturing Earth's Mightiest Heroes and replacing them with duplicates. They had been successful in capturing some of the heroes, but not all of them. Half of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s forces had been replaced by Skrulls.

For Cassie, it felt like Shinnok all over again, if not worse.

Carol Danvers stood in the far corner of the interrogation room, arms folded. Mentally, Cassie smirked, as she remembered her mother telling her about her and Carol coming to blows over Julia Carpenter. Stark must have suspected that the Julia that had signed on with S.H.I.E.L.D. had been a Skrull plant, but kept silent on the matter.

Now, the whole Civil War and the implementation of the Superhuman Registration Act seem so...insignificant. If the Skrulls don't conquer Earth, then the bad guys will most certainly destroy it.

Ms. Marvel had suffered a broken nose and several other bruises at her hands. Compared to some of the other superheroes and the Capekillers that raided her childhood home, she was one of the lucky ones. Her blue eyes stared into Cassie's own, Cassie reading her mind, which was going a mile a minute. 'Go ahead, Cage. One reason is all I need. Just one.'

Cassie reponded by staring into Carol's eyes. The 'Cage death glare,' as her father had called it. Combining her mother's patened 'Blade death stare' and her father's legendary 'Cage glare,' and Cassie had a look that made the thousand-yard stare look normal.

After five seconds, Carol blinked.

Then, there was Agent Hook. Cassie knew that she was good, but she was better. It was like Stark to have Hook come in and invade her mind. So Cassie invaded hers. Fortunately, Ms. Marvel was outside when Cassie had countered Hook's psi-attack with her own. If she was lucky, then Hook wouldn't remember this for a couple of years.

Cassie knew that SHIELD had been infiltrated by the Skrulls. The Skrull that attempted to impersonate her had given up plenty of information. Information that coincided with what Mey had relayed from Liu and Kitana. Especially how to tell the difference between a human and a Skrull.

 **CLICK.**

The door unlocked and opened. Deputy Commander Maria Hill entered the room, a folder in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. She was followed by Iron Man himself.

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Cage," Maria said as she sat down opposite Cassie. "You're looking at an assortment of charges, assault being the top of the list. How proud your parents must be to have a loose cannon for a daughter."

Cassie smiled meanly. "The only loose cannon in this room is your boss," she replied, gesturing to Iron Man. "You aren't worth the dust off my mom's combat boots or my dad's Italian-made shoes. Your men broke into my mom's home. I acted in self-defense." She scoffed as she placed her shackled hands in her lap. "If that's the best your Superhuman Restraint Unit could do, then they need more training. Imagine the kind a damage a normal person could do."

Cassie smirked as Maria's eye twitched. "You have your father's tongue, no doubt."

"I get that a lot." She looked at Ms. Marvel and Iron Man. "So what's this? 'Good cop, bad cop, worse cop?' So Stark is the good cop, Danvers is the bad cop and that makes you the worse cop? How are you going to explain this away?"

"We don't," Maria replied. "You put my men in the hospital, some with serious injuries. Among the injuries, you broke Ms. Marvel's nose and you cracked Ares' skull before blowing his eyes out. That is assault. With the damage you caused, you should be registered as a lethal weapon under the Act."

Cassie snorted. "But I'm not. It comes from a lifetime of martial arts training." She looked at Tony. "You fucked up big time, Stark."

"I'm not the one in handcuffs, now am I?" Iron Man replied. "You could have surrendered peacefully. But you didn't."

"And your men should had identified themselves, yet they didn't. How was I to know that you guys were not HYDRA agents? Or Skrulls, for that matter?" Off the surprised look of Ms. Marvel, Cassie smirked. "Oh? You mean, you didn't tell her, Stark? That while the heroes were beating each other senseless over this stupid Act, that the Skrulls are infiltrating the planet? Makes you wonder who you can trust. I mean, if you guys were fooled into thinking that Julia Carpenter was one of you while the real one was working for my mother..."

"Enough," Iron Man barked. "We have the Skrull situation under control." His faceplate snapped upwards, revealing his face. "As for you, Lieutenant, you've made your bed, and you're gonna lie in it."

Cassie smiled meanly. "I don't think so, Stark," she replied, just as the handcuffs landed on the floor with a metallic sound. Cassie raised her hands – now free of the cuffs – and neatly folded her fingers, not looking the lest bit frightened when Iron Man raised his hands, ready to blast Cassie with his repulsor beams, while Ms. Marvel was itching to blast Cassie with her energy beams.

"Somewhere along the lines," Cassie deduced, "S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Mighty Avengers fucked up." Now the realization began to sink in as she connected the dots. "Jessica Jones fled to Canada before the Act became law. You assholes raided my mom's hideaway because someone dropped the dime, saying that she was up there, on her way back to Luke." She looked at Iron Man. "Am I right so far?"

Slowly, Stark lowered his hands.

"I'll take that as a yes," Cassie said. "I thought you were smart, Stark. But you made three mistakes." She held up a single finger. One: you forgot that there's six people you know that have the surname Cage: Luke and his family, my father, my sister and myself." Another finger. "Two: you dropped the ball when you didn't look into whoever said that Jessica and Danielle were up there. You were looking for an opportunity to finally bring the Secret Avengers down." A third finger. "And finally – this is the most important part – Union Vale is home to several senior members of Cage Incorporated. Which means that by now, my parents will have already found out about this." Her smile then turned sinister. "Have fun trying to deal with the both of them."

As if on cue, Agent Hook entered the room, holding a phone in her hand. "Director Stark...it's Colonel Blade. She sounds very upset."

Tony visibly paled. He had seen how both her and her husband had dismantled Osborn, and held her own against Carol.

Cassie's grin widened. "I'd answer, if I were you."

Giving Cassie a glare, Stark took the phone. "Colonel Blade. Director..."

"...STARK, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Sonya's voice screamed in righteous fury, making even Carol and Maria flinch from the volume. "JUST WHO IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, ARRESTING MY DAUGHTER LIKE SHE'S SOME SORT OF CRIMINAL?!"

Stark, for his part, attempted to placate the irate Cage matriarch. "Now, Colonel Blade, the information that was given to me was..."

"I DON'T GIVE A HIGH HOLY FUCK WHAT SOMEONE HAD TOLD YOU! YOU KNEW DAMN WELL THAT HOME BELONGED TO ME, AND YOUR ASSHOLE FRIENDS WRECKED IT!" Sonya bellowed. "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR OF S.H.I.E.L.D.! IF MY DAUGHTER ISN'T RELEASED WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR, YOU BETTER HOPE YOU HAVE ALL OF S.H.I.E.L.D. AND THE GODDAMNED MIGHTY AVENGERS PROTECTING YOU, BECAUSE I WILL NAIL YOUR FUCKING ASS TO THE WALL IN THAT FUCKING ARMOR OF YOURS! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

Tony cut off the phone, silencing Sonya's threats. Cassie looked amused. "Mom always had a temper," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Dad's more subtle. He'd let his lawyers do the heavy lifting. I think Hogarth said it best: what will last longer: the trial, or your tenure as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Tony growled. He turned on his heels and stormed out of the interrogation room, followed by Maria and Ms. Marvel.

Cassie chuckled softly to herself as she placed her hands behind her head. All she had to do now was wait.

* * *

Later, in Director Stark's office...

Tony Stark needed a drink. He needed several drinks. If it wasn't Sonya Blade's threat of bringing down the full force of the Tactical Response Unit, it was Cage Incorporated's legal team threatening to sue him out of house and home. Both Maria Hill and Dum Dum Dugan were present in his office when Tony was on the phone's speaker, the senior attorney of Cage Incorporated on the opposite end.

"Director Stark, this is Robert Evans, and I represent the legal team for Cage Incorporated."

"Please, not now..." Tony groaned. "I already got an earful about Cassie from her mother..."

"This call is to inform you that The Chairman is planning on filing suit on both yourself, the Mighty Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. itself for the wrongful arrest of one Cassandra Cage," Evans continued, not giving a crap about Tony's feelings, "not to mention the destruction of the home owned by Colonel Sonya Blade."

"Look, it was a misunderstanding. And besides, Cassie isn't as innocent in this mess..."

"Lieutenant Cage acted in self-defense. I'm sure that the videos from the Capekillers will support that theory. And you can be certain that we will subpoena not only those files, but also those that are contained within your suit, as well as the suit itself."

"Look...If I release Lieutenant Cage and drop the charges of assault, will that suffice?" Tony asked, ignoring the look of outrage from Maria's face.

"Chairman Cage promises not to pursue any legal action if the above conditions are met."

"Fine. I won't pursue any charges, and Lieutenant Cage will be released within the hour."

"One hour, Director Stark. We will have a chopper en route to retrieve Lieutenant Cage. If she is not released within that time frame, then we will follow through with our threat. Good day."

Stark groaned as he rubbed his temples, the call now over. "Director, I have to protest this course of action," Maria said. "You've seen the type of damage that Cage had done to the Capekillers, not to mention the Mighty Avengers. We should at least make her a part of the Initiative as a condition of her release!"

Stark shook his head. "She's under the military registry," he replied. "Meaning that she's untouchable. We're already on thin ice by sending Murdock to the Negative Zone when he was under the military registry."

"And add the fact that Lieutenant Cage's parents wield considerable influence in both the military and in the business world," Dugan said, "and they both can bring down a lot of heat on our heads. S.H.I.E.L.D. is already on shaky ground with your little stunt regarding Banner, and his cousin would much rather break your spine than to be in the same room with you."

Tony shuddered. Even now, he did not know who had tipped Banner off. He had suspected that he had shot a Skrull into space, while Banner went underground. As a result, Jen had violently resigned from the Avengers (by means of breaking Tony's jaw), and relocated to Toronto.

Tony Stark hated to lose. An an Avenger, as a businessman and as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. While Cassie had overreacted (and given the past kidnapping attempts, was justified), he was a fault in not checking on the information that was given to him.

The last thing he needed was Cassie's parents gunning for his head. Or worse, back the Secret Avengers in retaliation. Tony knew when to cut his losses, and now, he lost. In fact, he had lost before this whole debacle had begun.

There was only one thing left to do.

* * *

About 45 minutes later...

The King Raven-class helicopters was one of Cage Incorporated's brainchilds. Sonya had designed it back when she was General of S-F's Earthrealm Strategic Defense, but due to the fiasco with Shinnok's Amulet and Raiden going insane, Sonya was unable to get her personal helicopter off the ground.

Until now.

KR-002 was Sonya's personal helicopter, and to any military man who saw it, they were in awe of not only its beauty, but also its firepower; frontal machine guns loaded with standard armor-piercing rounds, minigun attachments on both sides (although Cassie preferred the .50 caliber grenade launchers), and of course, a variety of missiles.

The chopper had been undergoing repairs and upgrades down at Fort Burton before it was to be sent back to Sonya out West. What made the King Raven so unique was that it used a prototype fuel cell, also an S-F brainchild.

Despite her differences with Sonya, Carol Danvers was impressed as the chopper landed on the Helicarrier's flight deck, the insigia of the Tactical Response Unit emblazoned on the side. She'd suspect that even Rhodey would get a hard-on upon seeing this chopper. Thankfully, Sonya wasn't on board, but three heavily-armed S-F troopers hopped out of the chopper and stood guard, patiently waiting for Cassie to emerge.

&^%

Within the corridors of the Helicarrier, Iron Man escorted Cassie Cage, accompanied by Dum Dum Dugan - who was nice enough to give her a spare pair of womens' pants – and Maria Hill.

For Iron Man, what Cassie had said about the Skrulls concerned him. He had past encounters with the Skrulls, but to try and kidnap and replace her was a pretty brazen move on their part.

"You should know that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised," Cassie remarked as they boarded the lift that would take them to the flight deck. While she was unable to look at Tony's face due to his faceplate being down, she enjoyed the look of shock on "The Skrulls have infiltrated the organization."

"And when were you going to tell us this?" Iron Man demanded.

"Would you had listened to me? Or my parents, for that matter, despite the bad blood between us?" Cassie replied.

Honestly, Tony wouldn't have. Cassie noted that his silence spoke more than any word.

"The best way to identify a Skrull is by three simple words: 'He loves you,'" Cassie explained. "The Skrull has no other choice but to respond. Well, that, and their true forms shall be revealed. After that, do with them what you will."

The lift reached the flight deck and its doors opened. Cassie stepped out onto the flight deck, followed by Maria and Iron Man. Ignoring Ms. Marvel, she walked over to the King Raven, where the three men snapped to attention, and saluted. Cassie responded with a salute of her own and without a word, boarded the chopper. Once the three soldiers boarded and the doors were slammed shut, the King Raven took to the air and away from the Helicarrier.

Iron Man, Maria, and Carol watched as the chopper vanished. Without a word, Iron Man turned and walked back to the lift. If what Cassie said was true, then S.H.I.E.L.D. needed to get its house in order.

By the time the Skrull plants were found out and sent to the Negative Zone, Jessica Drew would arrive with the body of Skrull-Elektra, following a Secret Avengers raid to rescue Maya Lopez.

And things were about to get worse for all parties involved.


	26. 16: Infiltrating Fort Charles, Part 1

**Chapter Sixteen: Cassie's Mission - Infiltrating Fort Charles, Part One**

The Helicarrier, Flight Deck - over Cage Incorporated

'I wonder how Johnny is going to spin this,' Sonya mentally mused as she stood on the Helicarrier's flight deck, looking down at the carnage that was left over following the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated. It reminded her of the Netherrealm War, over forty years ago. The Tactical Response Unit and S.H.I.E.L.D. were hard at work, policing the bodies of the fallen, friend and foe alike.

Despite being seventy (and looking thirty-five years younger), Sonya felt much, much older. It had been inevitable, but once again, her family and the former revenants were once again sucked into Earthrealm intrigue, the targets of a mad thunder god and his allies. And Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the X-Men were brought along for the ride. The burden of her family's legacy had fallen on both her and Johnny's shoulders. Cassie had her own problems regarding the Phoenix, aside from Ravenna.

'And to think, only a couple of hours ago, the Avengers and the X-Men were going to fight over Cassie and Ravenna,' Sonya thought.

The hard, metallic footsteps approaching her identified the newcomer that was approaching.

Without turning around, Sonya asked, "What's the situation, Stark?"

His faceplate snapped upward, Tony Stark gave his report. "The portal detection technology your husband had given us has been uploaded and integrated, General. If a portal opens, we'll know, also the armed forces of the planet are on high alert. If it's Cassie or one of the girls, we'll know." He looked down at the mayhem that was left in their wake. "I wonder how Johnny is going to explain this?"

A ghost of a smile was seen on Sonya's lips, as she was thinking the same thing from earlier.

"Oh," Johnny's voice made both the Iron Avenger and the freshly-promoted general turn around. "I got a couple of ideas. Improv is an actor's specialty, after all."

The actor-turned-industrialist stood on the opposite side of Sonya. Stark took this as his cue to leave. "So...General, huh?"

Sonya nodded. "Battlefield promotion."

"You're worried about repeating the same mistakes you did back in Earthrealm?" Johnny asked. When Sonya nodded again, Johnny wrapped his hand around her shoulders. "We split when you made Colonel. You've learned your lesson from the last time."

"I't's not just that," Sonya said. "I'm worried about Cass and Raven."

"Cassie will come back with Ravenna and the others," Johnny said. "She does not like to fail. She's a lot like you...and me in that aspect. On top of that, Liu and Kitana are with her. If there is anyone who I trust with the girls' safety, it's those two. Liu was Raiden's golden boy before I took the job and Kitana was trained by Shao Kahn. Cassie has her boytoy, Cap, Logan, and the others. And there's the trump card..."

'The Phoenix Force,' Sonya thought.

"I made a promise to Cassie when we fled Earthrealm that we would free Jax and her team," Johnny said. "She'll bring Ravenna and the others back. She beat Shinnok when she was just a human and with my bloodline. Imagine the kind of carnage she can do with the Phoenix Force at her call."

Sonya couldn't help but to agree.

* * *

Fort Charles - Earthrealm.

When one decorates an office space, one customizes it to fit their personality. For Sonya Blade, she was the epitome of perfection. Cassie knew that her mother had modeled her office after the old one back in Earthrealm.

Had Sonya seen what Kano had done to her old office, Cassie would had guessed that her mother would have broke down in tears at the sight.

Kano was the opposite of Sonya; the chaos to her order. And while he wasn't unable to kill Sonya before she was taken from Earthrealm, he took delight in remaking her old office in his image.

The couch that was situated on one end of the wall had various knife gashes in the leather...and Cassie suspected that there was blood and semen stains present. The bookshelf which had Sonya's awards and recommendations were replaced with various types of weaponry. The flag of S-F – the white star-and-leaves on a black field – was made into a rag in which one would wipe their feet on. A picture of Sonya was on the far end of the wall, with various knives sticking out of the picture. The expensive wooden desk – of which Sonya had imported from Italy – had been riddled with knife scratches. Hanging on the wall, in place of the S-F flag, was that of the Black Dragons.

The first thing Cassie had done was to retrieve the S-F flag from the floor, and telepathically folding it with her mind before having Magik seal it away for safekeeping.

Kano, for all his preparations and savvy, did not realize that there was an escape tunnel hidden inside Sonya's personal bathroom. As it turned out, Sonya had been inspired by one of Johnny's old movies, in which there was a hidden room located inside the bathroom, something that up until several hours ago, not even Johnny himself knew about.

Despite Kano's desecration of her mother's office, Cassie felt a wave of nostalgia.

"I was called to this very room by my mother," Cassie said. "Jacqui and me. It was about a week after we both got back from Kurdistan...about a year before the fiasco with Shinnok's amulet. I thought I was getting another reprimand due to the fact that I'd occasionally get into trouble on and off the base. Instead, I find Mom and Dad, along with Uncle Jax..." Cassie paused to steel herself. "...and Aunt Vera inside. It was this very room that I was promoted to Sergeant, and Jacqui was promoted to Specialist." She smiled sadly. "Probably the only time I saw my parents act civil...or rather, Mom acting civil towards Dad after they split before Shinnok."

Cassie was about to continue when her head snapped towards the window, sensing something. She quickly walked over to the window and raised the window's blinds, Frost, Liu, Kitana and the others looking out into the training yard.

A portal has opened, and out stepped Jax and Cassie's former teammates.

"That's them?" Cap asked. "Your uncle and your old team?"

Cassie nodded. "Yeah." Now, she was all business, the nostalgia now forgotten. Narrowing her eyes, she searched Jax's memories. As he was the main muscle for Raiden, it would make sense if he had valuable intel. It confirmed what Frost had told her about Fujin, that he was imprisoned in Seido.

Cassie turned from the window. "We got to do this in thirty minutes." She turned to Cap and Wolverine. "Blue, Logan, the both of you are to head for the S-F computer room." She paused for a moment to walk back to the desk. A hard kick to the side, and the desk slid on hidden tracks. A lift emerged, which was large enough for three people. Pulling out the ID Card once again, she handed it to Cap. "This lift is the fastest way to get there. Use this to gain access to the computer, Blue. User name is the same. The password is 'Every Dog Has Its Day.' Once you've gained access, use the purge program to destroy the files. Once that's done, the self-destruct will automatically activate, with twenty minutes on the clock. After fifteen minutes, the cutoff system will not operate."

Cap nodded and pocketed the ID Card.

"Take Frost with you," Cassie said, pointing to the ice ninja. "You may need an extra pair of eyes watching your back." She then turned to Luke and T'Challa. "Luke, Panther, your job is to restrain Jax. Whatever you do, don't kill him. I already lost an aunt. I can't lose my uncle as well. I'll lure him away from the others to make things easier. The Officer's Club had been changed into a bar, which makes it the perfect place for the both of you to jump him."

Both men nodded.

The young (somewhat) captain then turned to Deadpool. "Wade, you got three targets: the armory, the fuel depot and the power generators. Destroy all three. The computers in the hard drive room are on a separate power source. The targets in question are near the hangar, about two miles away. Once the power goes, the Black Dragon can't call for backup."

"And once those targets is gone?" Deadpool asked.

"Kill as many those bastards as you can find," Cassie replied.

Deadpool grinned. "Groovy."

Cassie turned to Hope and Magik. "My old barracks have been turned into a series of holding cells used for interrogation and torture. That's where Hope is being held. You two will join up with her. I'll send Kung Jin to the three of you. Restrain, don't kill."

Hope and Magik both nodded. "Understood."

Last, she turned to Simon, Liu and Kitana. "I'll deal with Jacqui and Takeda myself. I know you want to fight Shang, Kitana, but now's not a good time. We're outnumbered and outgunned. This is a rescue mission. You'll get your hands on Shang soon enough."

Kitana nodded, as did Liu.

Cassie turned back to the others. "Once your objectives are complete, the rally point is the motor pool In the event that you can't make it there, then the hangar is the fallback spot. Once everyone is present and accounted for, we take the portal back home. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Stay safe," Cassie said. As an afterthought, she added, "And try not to die on me."

* * *

The cells were originally the barracks for the enlisted soldiers, only retrofitted with doors that locked from the outside and some of the rooms soundproofed for whenever Kano or his lieutenants conducted their 'interrogation sessions.'

Ironically enough, judging from Cassie's past memories of her time here, she had been thrown into her sister's old quarters. At least Skarlet was considerate enough to sever her bonds and shove her in a chair, but not before giving her a warning: "Play your cards right, and you might live through this."

The blood ninja stood in the corner of the cell, arms folded, red eyes watching her like a hawk, just waiting for her to make the wrong move.

Then the cell door opened and Shang Tsung swaggered in, followed by Mileena. "I take it your...lodgings are to your liking, Miss Cage?" he asked as Mileena stood in the opposite corner.

Ravenna wasn't impressed. "I've seen better."

Shang pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Ravenna. "You seem unimpressed, given you current predicament."

"Cassie and I both been kidnapped before," Ravenna admitted. "Usually it doesn't end well for the kidnappers. I'd direct you to some of them, but most of them are dead."

"You seem confident in your sister," Mileena hissed.

"Of course. She will come for me," Ravenna replied. 'In fact, she's already here, you freak.' she mentally added.

Shang, for his part, merely smiled. "Hoping against hope. An endearing trait, I'm sure. I'm here to inform you that Lord Raiden, while annoyed that Kano was unable to kill your parents and capture Cassandra, is quite interested in meeting you. In fact, he is sending a...'welcoming committee' in the form of the former Major Briggs and Cassandra's former teammates."

"Oh, goody," Ravenna said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"We shall see if you remain defiant once you are taken to the Sky Temple," Shang said as he stood up. "Until then, you shall remain here."

Shang exited the room, followed by Mileena and Skarlet.

' **Ravenna? You okay?** ' Hope mentally asked.

' **Peachy,** ' the captive Cage replied. ' **Where's Cassie?** '

' **On her way to intercept Jacqui and Takeda,** ' the redheaded mutant replied. ' **Magik and I are on the way to meet up with you.** '

' **I'll give you guys five minutes. Then I'll bust out of here and meet up with you guys.** '

Ravenna looked at her watch. Setting the time for five minutes, she waited.

* * *

A hidden temple, in the Crimson Forests...

The dark-haired man, gray streaks in his hair, naked from the waist up, his muscular chest showing off a hideous-looking scar on his abdomen, walked with a purpose down the corridor, his heavy footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. He had been training the newest recruits when Daegon had summoned him to his meditation chamber.

Mavado considered himself to be either very lucky to be alive, or very hard to kill. In a fight over Kano's hostages several years earlier, Cassandra Cage had split him with his own hookswords, but not before Jacqueline Briggs had shattered his leg. Daegon had found him, sensing that he was in trouble, and had retrieved him from Outworld, leaving a Black Dragon's corpse under an enchantment to look like his own corpse, thus fooling Cassie's parents and Kotal Kahn.

The scars that adorned Mavado's chest reminded him of his failure. While his team was successful in stealing Cassie and Jacqui from Kano, it had almost cost him his life, as he had underestimated the teenage girls. The medics had said that Mavado had flatlined twice on the operating table, but he survived. Daegon's enchantments also allowed him to walk without a limp, but his failure continued to burn at him.

Approaching the meditation chamber, Mavado waited patiently for Daegon to allow him to enter. No one was allowed to enter Daegon's meditation chamber without his permission. The last fool who had done that had paid with his life.

"Come," Daegon's voice thundered from within.

Mavado pushed the door open and entered the chamber. It's appearance was similar to that of a Japanese-style dojo, complete with statues of dragons. Mavado respectfully removed his boots and placed them near the door. Walking on his bare feet, he approached the Red Dragon boss, who was kneeling in the center of the chamber, a slip of paper in his hand.

Edenian-born, the twin brother to Taven had been corrupted by Shinnok upon being accidentally awaken by his guardian dragon, Caro. After killing his parents - the Elder God Argus and his wife, the sorceress Delia - Daegon had formed the Red Dragon. However, a splinter cell of some of the more ruthless and cold-blooded Red Dragons had formed their own organization, the Black Dragon. Now, aside from their goals of conquering Earthrealm, elevating Daegon to full godhood, and to kill his brother, Daegon wanted the Black Dragon eradicated. His alliance with Raiden had given him that opportunity.

Then, came the report from the Red Dragon plant at the Black Dragon's main stronghold.

Mavado knelt in front of Daegon, in the seiza, or kneeling, position. "Lord Daegon."

Daegon handed the slip of paper to his chief lieutenant. "Read that."

Mavado took the sheet of paper and scanned it. **KANO AND LIEUTENANTS DEAD. CASSANDRA CAGE CREDITED WITH KILLING KANO. RENEGADE KOMBATANTS CREDITED WITH ELIMINATING LIEUTENANTS. RAVENNA CAGE CAPTURED.**

Mavado looked up. "Is this true? And who is Ravenna Cage?"

"It has been confirmed," Daegon replied. "Ravenna Cage is the second daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade."

Mavado frowned. "I thought that General Blade was well past the childbearing age."

"The realm they had fled to seems to be an alternative version of Earthrealm, in which time and space move quite differently," Daegon explained. "Meaning that if the Cage family fled, then they must have de-aged quite a number of years."

"More than enough for Sonya and Johnny to bear another child," Mavado surmised. "And to prepare for the inevitable confrontation once Raiden tracked them down."

"Who is also in the custody of Shang Tsung," Daegon said. "This...is troubling news, Mavado. Raiden promised us that we would be the ones to eliminate the infidels. But now, his renegade champions have beaten us to it."

"So what do we do now?" asked Mavado.

"Gather our best men," Daegon replied. "We will attack the Black Dragon compound and slaughter those that remain. Raiden should had taken into consideration that his rogue champions would fight back with everything they have to defend themselves and their new home."

"What about Ravenna Cage?"

Daegon's scarred face twisted into a malicious smile. "I believe that once word reaches the Cage family that we have their daughter, they would be...compliant to our demands. If we play our cards right, you may get your hands on Cassandra Cage and show her the same courtesy that she has shown to you."

Mavado's face broke into an evil grin. The fact that a teenage girl that had left him for dead really, really stung Mavado. For the past several years, he had waited for the moment when Cassie Cage had let her guard down. But she fled Earthrealm along with her family. "You are coming as well?"

"Yes. While Kano and his lieutenants have escaped our justice, we can at least eradicate those who remain. See to your orders. We leave in fifteen minutes."

As he rose from his feet and headed for the door, one thought was going through Mavado's mind. 'There are worst things than death, Cassandra Cage. A lesson I shall bestow upon you personally.'

* * *

With Frost, Cap, and Logan...

The room which housed S-F's mainframe was located some forty feet underground. Once the lift reached the bottom, it was a short walk down a corridor, to the hidden door which led to the mainframe room.

The mainframe room was quite big, the Avengers and Frost realized. Two rows of computer towers, standing six feet tall, stood in the center of the room, along with an extra set of computer towers on the far end of the wall, complete with a built in computer monitor, card reader, and keyboard.

Cap was at the monitor, using the card key Cassie had given him to access the S-F's main frame, within minutes, he had brought up the purge command on the screen. Meanwhile, Frost and Logan stood guard.

Frowning behind her mask, Frost whispered, "Something's not right..."

Logan had overheard her. "What?"

"Something's not right," Frost repeated. "Uncle Kuai taught me to think on intuition, rather than logic. And one thing I trust is my instinct. I don't think we're alone here."

"Smart man, your uncle," complimented Logan. Lifting his head, he sniffed the air. Once, twice, three times. Now, his expression matched that of Frost's own as his claws popped out from his hands. "You're right. Something's rotten here." To Cap, he said, "We got a leak."

Picking up his shield and securing it on his forearm, Cap turned from the computer. On the screen, the timer counted down; five minutes and counting. The two lines of computer towers had been set up in a way so that there were three aisles, with Cap in the center, Frost on his left and Logan on his right.

"Frost, take the left," Cap whispered. "Logan, you got the right."

The ice ninja and the Canadian nodded. Generating a pair of kukri knives from ice, Frost inched her way down the corridor, accompanied by Cap and Logan, who silently stepped down their respective corridors. Upon reaching the end some two minutes later, the trio trached the second set of doors that Kano had tried to blow his way through.

The same set of doors that now had a human-sized hole in the center.

Frost and the two superheroes exchanged worried looks. Whoever did this certainly wasn't human.

Frost sensed movement coming from her far right. She turned her head, Cap following her line of sight...

...just as 'it' materialized behind Logan, its stealth camouflage disabling to allow the three to see him. A Lin Kuei cyberninja. Frost had seen pictures of the Lin Kuei cyberninjas back when they were undergoing the Cyber Initiative, but this was anything but. This model was very advanced, its armor crimson, the 'eyes' glowing a soft blue, the body chassis more smoother and streamlined than the original bulky designs of the Cyber Lin Kuei.

Frost had heard of this joint project between the Lin Kuei and S-F. According to Subzero, S-F had stumbled upon a secret Lin Kuei data storage and after transferring the data into the S-F hard drives, attempted to process it into an advanced prototype body created by the Lin Kuei. The program was shelved shortly after Shinnok's second defeat, but not before something unexpected happened. The cyberninja had somehow gained the consciousness and fighting data of LK-4D4, LK-9T9 and LK-52O.

It was fortunate that Sonya had canned the project, as the cyberninja was unstable. Very unstable.

The cyberninja raised one of his arms. Frost's eyes widened as she rushed towards Logan, tackling him to the ground, just as a rocket fired from one of his gauntlets. Cap quickly brought up his shield, just as the rocket detonated on impact, knocking him back. The cyberninja then aimed his rockets at the downed Frost and Wolverine, but a quick ice blast from Frost had temporary immobilized the arm, allowing both Frost and Logan to get back on their feet.

"Thanks, kid," Logan said. "I owe ya one."

Frost simply nodded.

The cyborg looked at the ice-covered forearm, which was starting to melt under the intense hear generated. "The power of ice." Its gaze turned to Frost. "So...you're Bi-Han's little bastard, I take it?" he sneered, his electronic voice sounding even more menacing than Tony Stark as Iron Man. "It's just like your uncle to take in strays."

Frost's white eyes narrowed. "My uncle told me about you. You're Sektor."

"No...not just Sektor," the cyberninja replied. His color scheme changed from red to yellow. "Cyrax..." Now the color scheme was blue. "And Subzero. Three-in-one. I am...Triborg." He turned to Logan, scanning his body. "Interesting...your bones are encased in metal. A primitive attempt, nonetheless. Perhaps I shall know your secrets once I extract them from your corpse."

"I'm very hard to kill, bub," Logan growled.

"Your luck ends here," Triborg replied. "I cannot let you destroy the mainframe. I will kill you three and extract the data from the mainframe. The Tenkunin will wise from the ashes of the Lin Kuei once I exterminate the traitor you call your uncle."

"Over my dead body!" Frost snarled.

"That...can be arranged." With that, Triborg attacked, leaping into the air, and planting one foot into Frost's chest, knocking her down, and using the same foot to knock Cap down, as he was unable to bring his shield to bear.

(cue 'Dog Fight' from The Raid: Redemption)

Turning its head, Triborg saw Wolverine charge at him, claws outstretched. Within milliseconds, Triborg deduced that the little hairy Canadian was the bigger threat by a wide margin.

Triborg fired off two homing rockets. Logan cleaved through them. However, the rockets were a distraction to the actual attack.

As a human, Sektor favored not only rockets – both standard and homing – but also high-powered, miniaturized flamethrowers, the fuel of choice being liquid rocket fuel.

Of which, Logan found out the hard way as he was promptly immolated by Sektor's flamethrowers, burning him down to his adamantium-covered bones, his scream nearly deafening both Frost and Cap. He attempted to do the same to Frost, who only survived by encasing her body from head to toe in ice, a trick she learned from her uncle.

It had saved her life.

But while Triborg was occupied with Frost, he had forgotten about Captain America. As Logan fell to the ground, the First Avenger attacked alongside Frost. Triborg swatter Cap's kick to the face, and parried Frost's straight punch to the throat. The cyberninja ducked under Cap's haymaker, but that left him exposed to the Flipping Heel Kick from Frost, the ice ninja flipping forward in a circular motion, her booted foot catching Triborg square in the jaw, causing him to stumble back several feet.

The Flipping Heel Kick was one of Li Mei's moves, of which she herself had taught to Frost.

Cap then attempted to capitalize on the attack with a hard cross across Triborg's face. Triborg tanked the attack, and when Cap grabbed Triborg's wrist in an arm-bar after the latter knocked Frost back, he watched in shock as the arm reconfigured, reversing the grip to which Triborg now had its hand on Cap's wrist.

The color scheme changed from red to blue as Triborg yanked Cap forward. A hard punch to the side of the Star-Spangled Avenger's face stunned him long enough for Triborg to freeze him solid. A hard kick to the shin, followed by a spinning kick that launched Cap into the air along with the cyberninja. Whilst in the air, Triborg spun around, catching Cap with his other foot before planting both feet into his chest.

Cap bounced off a computer tower and landed hard on his side.

The blow to the face had knocked off Frost's mask, and left her stunned. Frost rallied, and attacked the unstable cyberninja, now shifting from blue to yellow. Aside from her MMA background, Frost had trained extensively in Tongbeiquan. While she was no pacifist, she was a prodigy in the style. As it turned out, one of the Lin Kuei was a Tongbeiquan master, and she trained under him.

Frost also became the apprentice to her uncle, due to her sharing the same ice powers. While she was still hotheaded, Frost learned a lot from Subzero, and later, Li Mei. Ice kukris in her hands Frost attacked. While Triborg was armored, Frost was going for his joints and those parts of the cyberninja that were exposed.

"You are not Bi-Han," Triborg deadpanned as he performed an overhead chop with his left hand, stunning Frost from the blow, causing her to drop her ice blades, which melted on the floor. "He died with honor." His right hand then shifted into a circular saw. "Unlike you," he finished as he brought the saw into another overhead swing, hoping to slice through her skull.

But Captain America had recovered, his shield raised upward, sparks kicking off the shield. Frost capitalized by performing the Slide, knocking Triborg off his feet. Cap flung his shield at Triborg, but missed as the cyberninja split apart into several pieces. Cap rolled out of the way as Triborg materialized behind him.

"You have not learned your lesson," Triborg sneered.

Cap caught his shield. "I'm a slow learner."

"Hmm. Perhaps you and the bastard shall receive another."

With that, Triborg's chest cavity opened up and two glowing orbs popped out. Acting quickly, Frost froze them both and punted them back at Triborg. At the same time, Cap, getting a moment of inspiration, flung his shield, aiming at the frozen orbs. The bombs detonated, something which Triborg was not even expecting, the blast knocking him back, the shrapnel cutting through his chest armor and damaging his internal circuits.

"Now!" Cap shouted. "Hit him fast and hard!"

Frost went on the attack; a set of snap kicks, followed by a barrage of punches to the head. Cap soon joined in, bashing his shield up against Triborg's faceplate, sparks kicking off from where his shield made contact. In desperation, Triborg shifted back to Sektor and activated the flamethrowers, forcing both the First Avenger and the rogue Lin Kuei back.

'Fighting this guy is like fighting Stark back in the Civil War all over again,' Cap thought. To Frost, he said, "Fall back!"

Frost backed off from Triborg. "Why? We got him!"

Cap shook his head. "No."

"You hesitate," Triborg said as it got to his feet. "The flaw of human compassion."

"No. I didn't hesitate," Cap replied, smirking. "We were just the distraction."

Frost turned to Cap. "What?!"

"Grr..."

If one sat down and had a conversation with James Howlett, you would know that there are several things that can piss him off. Bad cigars, for one. Another pet peeve is bad beer. But what really pissed him off something serious is being burned alive. Actually, it wasn't the burning alive part that pissed him off. It was the fact that he felt every single part of his body regenerate, one cell at a time.

Frost watched as Wolverine rose from the ground, her eyes widened in disbelief. His adamantium-covered skeleton gleaming in various places in the soft light, most of his costume burnt off, save for his pants, his body burned from head-to-toe, claws extended, Wolverine was pissed.

Triborg spun around. Had he been human, his eyes would have widened in surprise at the sight of the mutant as Frost's had done, his burns rapidly healing, muscle and sinew rapidly covering the skeleton.

It was this that ultimately cost him.

Thinking fast, Frost aimed low, freezing Triborg's feet and legs all the way to the kneecaps, effectively freezing him in place. Cap's shield severed his left arm, when the roboninja attempted to immolate Logan again, the appendage falling to the ground, now useless, the shield embedding itself in one of the towers.

With a feral yell, Wolverine lunged at Triborg.

Frost had seen some pretty brutal things in her life. But she was at least thankful that Triborg was not human, otherwise she would had lost her lunch from the way that Wolverine had tore it apart with his claws.

By the time Logan was finished, Triborg was reduced to scrap metal, the head the last thing Logan had destroyed by crushing it under her heel.

('Dog Fight' ends here)

"How..." was Frost able to say when Logan approached her.

"Two words: healing factor," the Canadian replied, now fully healed. "Nice job with freezing him in place, kid."

Frost could only nod. Her mask had been knocked off her face during the fight and her face was bruised from the fight. "Is this normal for you people?" she asked.

Cap shrugged his shoulders as he walked over to his shield. "You'd be surprised," he replied as he yanked his weapon out of the tower. "The life of a superhero has plenty of risks to go with it. You did good, Frost."

Again, Frost only nodded as she picked up her mask. It had absorbed the impact from Triborgs punch, thus saving her jaw from being broken, but it was now unwearable. She tossed it to the side, just as the timer on the monitor reached zero.

"S-F mainframe purge...complete," the automated voice said. "S-F mainframe self-destruct activated. You have twenty minutes to evacuate."

* * *

With Jax and Team S-F...

The Black Dragon knew not to mess with Raiden's generals, or his enforcers. One junior Black Dragon that tried to get fresh with Jacqui ended up with his nose being driven into his brain. Not even Kano would dare to cross Raiden, despite having raped and killed the wife of one of his generals.

But Kano was dead, as were his four senior lieutenants, leaving Kira as the de facto head of the Black Dragon.

Jax led his daughter and her teammates towards the barracks where Ravenna Cage was being held. He and the others passed Shang Tsung and his two bodyguards, Jax not giving the sorcerer a nod in greeting. He had a mission to complete and he was going to complete it.

"Uncle Jax..."

Jax stopped mid-step as Cassie's voice wafted into his ears. He turned to the left. Nothing.

"Uncle Jax..."

Jax turned to the right, and caught a glimpse of a woman in a catsuit favored by Cassie. The woman's hair was cut short in the undercut style Cassie herself favored. She was walking towards the base's officer's club - having been converted into a bar for off-duty Black Dragons. The bar was closed, as per to Kano's orders that no drinks would be consumed when he was off-base. Now, with his demise, it seems that the bar would be permanently closed.

"Dad?" Jax turned to his daughter, who had stopped walking, along with her teammates. "What is it?"

' **Secure the girl. I'll catch up...** '

"Go and secure the girl," Jax ordered. "I'll catch up."

Jacqui nodded and departed, taking Takeda and Jin with her. Jax, in the meantime, walked towards the closed bar, the door now unlocked and ajar.

* * *

Inside Kano's office, Cassie Cage grinned as she, Simon, Liu and Kitana watched Jax walk towards the bar. As much as she hated to do this to Jax, it was necessary, using her telepathy to subtly convince Jax into walking her trap. Divide and conquer. Out of the four, Jax was the toughest, a concern shared by Liu and Kitana, seeing as how Jax had beaten down the pair back when they both were revenants.

"Jax is a lot easier to control, being that he was a revenant in the past," Cassie said. She then answered Liu's unspoken question. "No, I didn't use my powers on either of you. You and Kitana didn't give me a reason to."

"That's good to know," Kitana said.

Cassie activated her headset. "T'Challa. Luke. Do you read?"

"Loud and clear, Captain," the Wakandan superhero replied.

"We read you, Cassie," Luke replied.

"Get ready. Jax is heading towards your position."

"Copy that," Panther replied. "T'Challa, out."

"Cage, out."

* * *

With Jax...

The bar was empty. Or, it appeared empty to Jax as he stepped through the door. Just as Kano had done to Sonya's office, the Officer's Club had been transformed into a mockery of what it once was. It was as if the Officer's Club had been transformed into a post-apocalyptic titty bar.

"Hello?" Jax called out. "Someone there?" He ventured further into the bar. "Cassandra? If that's you, then make it easy on yourself and surrender. Lord Raiden may show you mercy. You're only making it harder on yourself."

It was at this time, the Black Panther and the Hero for Hire made their presence known by closing the door to the bar. Jax spun around, and found himself staring at two men. Men that he did not recognize, one of which clad in a costume mimicking a panther, while the other guys - who could be regarded as his twin some thirty years younger - was dressed in street clothes.

"Jackson Briggs?" Panther asked.

"Who's asking?" Jax replied.

"Orders to bring you in," Luke replied. "Compliments of Cassie Cage."

Jax's response was instant. The M72 LAW that was strapped behind his back was in his hands, the tube pulled back, the safety off.

Luke groaned. "Aw, hell."

While Luke was indestructible, the Black Panther wasn't. Which is why Luke grabbed him and flung him over the bar, just as Jax took aim and pressed the trigger. An anti-tank missile shot out of the tube as Luke stood his ground. "This is gonna..."

 **BOOM.**

Luke was cut off as the anti-tank missile made impact. The explosion was deafening, but thankfully, the bar protected T'Challa from the blast.

Jax grinned in triumph as he dropped the now-useless bazooka. His triumph was short-lived as Luke emerged from the flames, his shirt burned off, not to mention that his pants had a gaping hole in the knee, but otherwise, he was unscathed. The blast did damage the bar, however.

Then, Luke took a knee, stretched out his hands, and slammed the palms together in a thunderous clap, the miniaturized sonic boom lifting Jax off his feet and sending the bionic-armed man crashing into the wall.

Meanwhile, a squad of Black Dragons, having been alerted by the commotion, stormed into the room. Panther, having hopped over the bar, was back at Like's side. Both he and Luke exchanged looks, then turned to Jax, who was getting back to his feet. "Deal with Jax," Panther said. "I got you covered."

Luke nodded, shrugging off what remained of his now-destroyed shirt. "I really can't have nothing nice," he muttered.

Jax had gotten back to his feet, the former major now looking at the Hero for Hire with a murderous expression. With a primal yell erupting from his gullet, Jax charged, with Luke doing the same, a yell of anger coming from his own throat.

Johnny had always said that he would like to see Luke Cage and Jax mix it up. Surprisingly enough, both his wife and elder daughter shared the same sentiment.

Pity that this was one fight that they were going to miss.


	27. 17: Infiltrating Fort Charles, Part 2

**Chapter Seventeen: Infiltrating Fort Charles, Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: I Can say for certain that this segment of the War of Two Earths will have three parts to it.

Inside Kano's office, Cassie Cage grinned as she, Simon, Liu and Kitana watched Jax walk towards the bar. As much as she hated to do this to Jax, it was necessary, using her telepathy to subtly convince Jax into walking her trap. Divide and conquer. Out of the four, Jax was the toughest, a concern shared by Liu and Kitana, seeing as how Jax had beaten down the pair back when they both were revenants.

"Jax is a lot easier to control, being that he was a revenant in the past," Cassie said. She then answered Liu's unspoken question. "No, I didn't use my powers on either of you. You and Kitana didn't give me a reason to."

"That's good to know," Kitana said.

Cassie activated her headset. "T'Challa. Luke. Do you read?"

"Loud and clear, Captain," the Wakandan superhero replied.

"We read you, Cassie," Luke replied.

"Get ready. Jax is heading towards your position."

"Copy that," Panther replied. "T'Challa, out."

"Cage, out."

Cassie ended the link. "One down...three to go," she whispered. Returning to the window, she turned her attention to her former teammates. Their exposure to Raiden's corruption made them even more vulnerable to her telepathy, even more so for Jacqui, due to her being corrupted with the Blood Code years earlier.

But first, she had to separate Kung Jin from the others. She just hoped that her sister, Magik and Hope were ready for him. Overkill, yes, but in her line of work, overkill was expected. Cassandra Cage played to win, and playing far tends to get one in trouble, a lesson that her parents and herself learned the hard way.

Cassie hailed Hope. "Hope? Report."

"Sneaking past the Tarkarta was a challenge," Hope replied. "But we're close to Ravenna. Mileena's guarding her."

"Good. I'm sending Kung Jin over to your location. Restrain, but don't kill him."

"Will do. Summers out."

"Cassie." Cap's voice chirped into her earpiece. "Mission accomplished. The S-F mainframe has been purged."

"Good work, Blue. Meet up at the rallying point."

"Cassie," Kitana whispered. "Shang Tsung is in the building. He knows we're here."

Cassie frowned. Then, after sensing his presence two floors down, she grinned. "And he's got Skarlet with him. This may work to our advantage."

"How so?" Liu asked.

"We neutralize Shang Tsung," Cassie said. "But we don't kill him. As for Skarlet..." Cassie paused to pat a hidden dagger strapped to her side. "...it's personal." She turned to the door. "Let's move."

* * *

With Shang Tsung and Skarlet...

The smirk was starting to get annoying to Skarlet. But she could not exactly go and mouth off to a sorcerer of Shang Tsung's caliber. Especially after he had absorbed Shao Kahn's soul, which one one of many when he destroyed Ermac in order to revive himself. After all, she had pledged her fealty towards Shang after he had rescued her from her torment in Kotal Kahn's dungeons, restoring her legs.

"She is here."

Skarlet turned to Shang. "Who?"

"Princess Kitana," Shang clarified. "Edenian sorcery is easy to detect. I was expecting either Ravenna's parents or sister. It seems that Kitana is still sore over what had happened in regards to Jade."

"Do you want me to deal with her?" Skarlet asked.

Shang shook his head. "No. You will accompany me as I will deal with Kitana personally. Who knows? I may let her live long enough to deliver her to Raiden."

"Where is she now?" Skarlet asked.

"Here. Inside this very building. She was hiding in Kano's office." He chuckled. "I thought she was smarter than this. Oh well, at least Liu Kang will be the last once she dies. Perhaps Raiden will be nice enough to allow me to consume her soul once the deed is done."

"Shall I summon..."

Skarlet's question died in mid-sentence upon hearing the muffled explosion coming from what used to be the officer's club. Even Shang was concerned. The demon sorcerer and the blood ninja rushed around the corridor, accompanied by a group of Tarkarta...

...and stopped upon seeing Cassandra Cage standing by the window, looking down at the officer's mess, having finished luring Takeda and Jacqui to the site of their upcoming battle.

"One thing about Uncle Jax," Cassie mused. "He loves anything that goes boom."

Skarlet drew out her swords, while the Tarkarta unsheathed their blades. "Did you see this coming, sorcerer?" she asked Shang.

Shang shook his head. "No. I did not," he replied as Cassie turned towards him. Shang sized the woman up. "So...you're the infamous Cassandra Cage who had bested Shinnok. You look like your mother...and from what I've seen, you've no doubt have your father's tongue."

"And you're Shang Tsung," Cassie deadpanned.

Shang inclined his head. "At your service, Sergeant Cage."

"It's Captain Cage," Cassie grounded. "And I have their skills. Plus, a couple of tricks up my sleeve."

"Yes...I saw your telepathy and telekinesis, as I witnessed Kano's demise alongside his son," Shang said. "A mutant, isn't it what you are called? All this time, I thought that your mother would be the one who would kill Kano. I take it you're here in regards to Ravenna?"

"Not only her, but Uncle Jax and the rest of my team."

"Honesty...such a rare quality in this day and age."

"Then be honest with me, Shang. Why join forces with Raiden?" Cassie demanded. "You of all people know what will happen if he merges the realms."

"A means to an end, Captain Cage," Shang replied. "I merely gave him what he wanted; the location of you and his former champions. He has something that I want."

Cassie tilted her head. "You're going after Shinnok's Amulet."

"How perspective of you, Captain," Shang replied. "A shame that you will not reveal this to Raiden."

Cassie smiled meanly. "As much as I want to kill you, I can't. Kitana wants your head." She pointed to Skarlet. "But I will take a piece of her."

Shang turned to Skarlet. Then he turned back to Cassie. "A piece you shall have."

Skarlet smiled evilly from behind her mask. "Still sore about the torture and the Blood Code, Cassandra?"

"Oh...give me a minute. I won't be." Cassie then flicked her head behind Shang and Skarlet. "Oh, and if you're curious as to where Kitana is, then turn around."

Shang and Skarlet did so...

...and were greeted with the sight of Liu and Kitana finishing off the Tarkarta. Cassie had been distracting the both of them while the former revenants had assassinated the Tarkarta.

Then, Simon came into play.

Rounding the corner, he charged. Shang saw him coming, and morphed into Shao Kahn. But that did little to stop the jaw-breaking haymaker from the superhero, sending Shang flying into the wall. Skarlet attempted to attack Cassie, but found herself being bounced repeatedly along the walls, ceiling and floor of the hallway, courtesy of the blonde's telekinesis.

Cassie looked at her handiwork and grinned. Turning to her left, she noticed a conference room. And the doors were unlocked. To Simon, she said, "Pick her up."

Simon nodded and restrained Skarlet, her arms behind her back. If only she could change into a pool of blood like she used to. Too bad that Kotal Kahn had robbed her of that skill during her imprisonment. Not even her brute strength was enough to break free. In desperation, Skarlet attempted a vertical axe kick that connected with Simon's face. No dice.

Cassie reached behind her back and pulled out her trump card. An enchanted dagger, pilfered from Kano during the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated. The Kamidogu. Only this time, Magik had enchanted it at Cassie'e behest, making the Blood Code even more potent. In other words, aside from the usual aspects of the Blood Code, this one would send the victim into a violent berserker rage that was permenant.

And it can only be used once.

Skarlet's eyes widened in horror as she recognized the Kamidogu. It was the same one that she herself used on both Jacqui and Cassie.

"You used this same Kamidogu on both Jacqui and me," Cassie said. "Consider this payback."

One thing for sure, Skarlet screamed even louder than Cassie and Jacqui when Cassie plunged the Kamidogu into Skarlet's torso. Cassie removed the blade and sheathed it, giving Simon a mental order to release her.

Turning to her left, Cassie saw a utility closet. Grabbing Skarlet by the hair, Cassie flung her into the closet, just as the Blood Code took hold. Her eyes completely red, Skarlet charged at Cassie, only to have the door slammed in her face, the doorknob turned into origami by Cassie. Skarlet's feral screams were muffled by the door, but she was pounding on it, trying to break free from her imprisonment.

As for Shang Tsung, Kitana stood over him, having morphed back to his original form. Without warning, Kitana raised her foot and drove it into his crotch, relishing the howl of pain coming from his gullet. The second stomp was aimed at his chest, his chestbone cracking under the impact.

"You live not because you amuse me," Kitana seethed, her booted foot stepping down on Shang's throat, "but your life is mine to take. Today is not that day. That is not the courtesy of Edenian royalty, but of an Outworld assassin.

Kitana then punted Shang in the jaw, knocking him out cold.

"Feel better?" Cassie asked. Meanwhile, Skarlet continued to scream and pound at the door, which now has several dents in the steel.

"A little," Kitana replied. "But it's not enough."

Cassie sighed. "I know." She gave the former princess a pat on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's move."

* * *

With Jax, Luke Cage and Black Panther...

(Cue 'Clash' from Captain America: Civil War)

This battle was one for the records. Two men, both considered to be the strongest in their respective realms. Once Johnny and Sonya heard about this clash of titans, they both would lament about how they should have been there to see this fight.

Hell, that sentiment was shared even by Liu Kang and Kitana. They've seen Luke Cage in action and even the ex-Empress had said that the fight between Luke and Jax "was one that she would like to see."

Screams erupting from their throats, Jax and Luke charged at one another. The two massive men collided like two 300-pound linebackers, Luke discovering that while Jax was at least thirty years his senior, he was still as strong as he was back when he was in command of S-F.

Jax scored the first blow, his bionic fist landing flush on Luke's jaw. Luke responded with a hard punch of his own, but missed with the two follow-up punches.

A hard boot to the kneecap made Luke stumble, but he rallied with a hard blow to the torso, also forcing Jax to his knees. After a brief moment of grappling, Jax landed a quick uppercut that made Luke stumble backwards, of which Jax capitalized by grabbing Luke by the throat, which was followed by...

"GOTCHA!"

 **CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! POW!**

Four consecutive strikes, followed by an uppercut that much to Jax's surprise, did not knock Luke on his ass. The Hero for Hire rallied yet again, grabbing Jax's jacket and landing some hard punches of his own, followed by a superman punch that made Jax fall on his back.

Jax rolled out of the way, avoiding Luke's stomp to the face and was back on his feet. Moving in a blur, Jax's fist slammed into Luke's face yet again, courtesy of Jax's Bionic Rush, stunning Luke long enough for Jax to go on the offensive. Three massive overhead strikes to the skull, followed by an uppercut that propelled Luke into the air, leaving him open for a fourth overhead punch that knocked him back.

Luke landed hard on his back, but much to Jax's shock, got back to his feet. The husband of Jessica Jones was grinning like a madman. "Cassie and her parents were right about you. You got some move on ya, soldier boy," Luke admitted. "Now let me show you how a Hero for Hire work."

His bionic arms pulsing with purple energy, Jax launched a wave of energy at the advancing Luke, who sidestepped the attempt, not breaking his stride. "You missed, soldier boy," the younger man said.

Jax fired off a second energy blast. This time, Luke ducked under it, weaving like a boxer. "Strike one," he said.

Had Liu Kang been here to witness the fight, he would had said that it was eerily familiar to when he himself had fought Jax nearly two decades earlier, only that Jax was in his place and Luke was in Jax's place.

Another flung energy blast from Jax and Luke dodged that one as well. "Strike two."

Jax flung two more blasts. Luke merely deflected the first one off his forearm bracer, while the second blast did nothing to Luke. "Strike three." Interlocking his fingers together, Luke unleashed an underhand hammer punch that connected with Jax's jaw.

"You're..."

This time around, it was the corrupted father of Jacqui that countered with his own hammer punch, making Luke double over. "...OUT!" Jax finished as he grabbed Luke by the waist, leapt into the air, and planted the Hero for hire into the floor in the form of a vicious powerbomb that left an impact crater on the floor.

Had it been anyone else, Jax would had broken plenty of ribs.

But Jax wasn't finished. Grabbing Luke's legs, he flipped Luke up and over, creating another impact crater as Luke was faceplanted into the ground, which would had done more damage to his body.

With Luke down, Jax turned to the Black Panther, who was still fighting the Black Dragon. He took only three steps towards Panther when Luke rose from his place on the floor. "And where do you think you're going, soldier boy?"

Jax spun around, just in time to see Luke's fist on a collision course to his torso. The wind was knocked out of Jax's lungs as his stomach was introduced to his backbone. The second right cross made him spin 360 degrees. The leaping knee was something Luke had picked up from Iron Fist, but it was effective in knocking Jax down.

Luke had to give Jax credit. He didn't know when to quit, as he was getting back up. Of course, the fight was not over yet. While T'Challa was able to dispatch the Black Dragons, now a more lethal foe has entered the fray.

"Luke! Tarkarta!" Panther shouted as a small squad of Tarkarta came charging into the bar.

Luke spun around, and saw them coming. Turning back to Jax, who was now back on his feet, Luke shouted, as he ducked, "Switch!"

A second flying knee, courtesy of the Panther, caught Jax in the face. Luke, in the meantime, squared off against the Tarkarta.

('Clash' ends here)

* * *

With Panther...

One thing about the Black Dragons that T'Challa realized was that despite their skills and abilities, they lacked discipline. They were psychopaths that had plagued Cassie and her parents back in Earthrealm, plain and simple. That, T'Challa knew, is what made them even more dangerous.

The fact that Kano had escaped custody more times than Cassie and Sonya could count had showed once again that bad guys tend to not play nice.

Had he pulled some of his antics in Wakanda, then T'Challa would had done the merc in himself, had not Storm had beaten to him first. There was a reason why he was known as 'The Most Dangerous Man Alive.' His and Darren's actions in regards to Vera Briggs were for lack of a better term, horrific. He could honestly understand Sonya's frustration in having to follow the rules and regulations of the American military, and not outright kill him in cold blood, given all the crap that he has put her family through.

But even honor can give way to good old-fashioned pragmatism. The Black Panther found it even more ironic that it was Cassandra Cage that had killed Kano, ending his reign of terror once and for all, while Sonya robbed him of his son.

Suffice to say, Darren had it coming.

While Luke had Jax covered, Panther dealt with the intruders. Six in total, each armed with knives and electrified batons. No firearms, as if they could do anything against his armor.

Against someone of his caliber? The Hand were more of a challenge.

Had Storm been here, she would had just shocked the attacking force into submission. Unfortunately, his wife wasn't here.

The first two Black Dragons fell to the ground, vibranium daggers embedded in their throats. The third had a submachine gun, which did nothing against Panther's advanced vibranium-laced armor. He fell to the ground after Panther destroyed his knee with a hard stomp, the second stomp crushing his larynx moments later.

Grabbing a third Black Dragon's head in his hand, Panther slammed it against the bar twice before flinging him over the wood grain. He crashed into the assortment of bottles and fell to the floor, drenched in liquor and covered in broken glass.

Quickly retrieving his knives, Panther stabbed the fourth man thrice; first in his stomach, the last two in his lungs. He collapsed soon after. The last two decided to attack him at once; both armed with S-F issued KA-BAR knives that had been left over following Kano's takeover of the base.

Despite their numbers, they did not stand a chance. T'Challa's head slammed into the fifth, stunning him long enough for him to put down his partner with a quick barrage of dagger strikes that would had made a Silat practictioner blush; striking in the legs, arm and throat, the last attack being the one that was lethal. The last Black Dragon decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and ran...

...right into a Tarkarta's waiting blade, the lead Tarkarta having dispatched the Black Dragon after seeing its act of corwadice.

Now, this can be a problem, T'Challa realized. "Luke! Tarkarta!" he shouted.

Luke spun around, and saw the Tarkarta. Turning back to Jax, he made a quick decision. "Switch!" he shouted as he hit the deck.

Leaping in the air, graceful as his namesake, T'Challa soared over Luke Cage, and slammed his knee square into Jax's face. While Luke rushed off to confront the Tarkarta, T'Challa squared off against Jax.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Jax sneered.

"Your opponent, Major Briggs," T'Challa replied as he unleashed his claws.

"There's a difference between fighting rookies and veterans," Jax replied as he raised his fists.

"You fight neither. You fight a King." With that, T'Challa attacked.

(Cue 'The Streets' from MK9)

Jax found out the hard way that while Luke was a brawler, the Black Panther was anything but. It was a painful lesson that Jax would soon learn. The brainwashed major blocked two kicks that Panther threw, of which Panther parried and blocked a two-punch combo from Jax.

Rather than go for the punches, Panther went for the claws. When Jax blocked a couple of Panther's swipes, he was surprised to see that the bionic implants – thought to have been indestructible – had several scratches in the metal.

Not one to waste an opportunity, Panther delivered another flying knee, this time on Jax's chest, knocking him to the wall. Jax rolled out of the way as Panther's claw swipe left four matching grooves in the wall, but was knocked back when Panther kicked him in the jaw.

Jax countered with a quick Bionic Rush, which allowed him a second wind. A hard punch to T'Challa's face, followed by a hard kick to the kneecap made the superhero stumble, allowing Jax to grab T'Challa by the neck and hoist him in the air.

But before Jax could utter his signature phrase, T'Challa's booted foot slammed into his jaw, causing Jax to drop him. The double drop kick sent Jax flying into the wall once again.

As much as T'Challa wanted this fight to continue, both he and Luke were on a timetable. Maybe once things calmed down he would see just how good Jax really was when his mind was freed of the corruption that plagued it.

For Jax, he was in the fight of his life. Not even back when he was a revenant, was Jax fighting this hard. The stakes were high. Even more higher than Mortal Kombat. Raiden did not tolerate failure in any shape or form. Failure was in the same category as defiance; it was punishable by death, a rule Raiden enforced with great zeal.

The Black Panther's double kick; the first in the chest, followed by the second in the face, this time breaking Jax's nose. The spinning roundhouse made Jax stagger even more. But Jax rallied and attempted a Bionic Rush, but Panther sidestepped the attempt, grabbed Jax by the jacket, and flung him to the wall once again.

Jax was stunned long enough for Panther to rush over to him, Jax feeling Panther's clawed hands grabbing at his head before bashing it repeatedly into the wall. Once, twice, three times, four times before flinging him back to the floor. His brain rattled inside his skull, Jax was barely able to get back to his feet, albeit he was woozy.

"Lord...Raiden..." Jax muttered, right before keeling over, his arms making a metallic CLANG as he landed on the floor. Black Panther lowered his fists, taking in several deep breaths. Cassie had been right about Jax. Even as an old man, he was very tough.

('The Streets' ends here)

"We're good?" Luke asked, having dispatched the attacking Tarkarta.

T'Challa nodded. "He fought well."

Luke snorted. "Yeah, despite the whole 'trying to kill us' schitck."

As Luke moved to restrain Jax's arms and legs, T'Challa contacted Cassie. "Captain. Mission accomplished. Major Briggs is in custody."

"Good work. Both of you," Cassie praised.

"You were right about Jax," Luke said. "Soldier boy was a tough one...for an old man. He woulda..."

Luke was cut off by a series of explosions in the distance. The Hero for Hire and the Wakandan King turned towards the sound of the explosions, then they looked at each other.

"Was that Wade?" Luke asked.

"I think so," T'Challa replied. "He's not exactly subtle."

"Or sane," Luke grumbled.

The next set of explosions were even closer, the Panther and Luke correctly guessing that they had just taken out a couple of parked vehicles outside the officer's club and the main building, followed by the sound of battle coming outside. They both knew that Deadpool had a penchant for overkill, but something was terribly wrong. "That was not Deadpool," the Panther muttered.

"Wade! What the Hell?!" Cassie shouted.

"It wasn't me that time!" Deadpool defended himself. "One second...uh...okay, why are these guys are trying to steal my color scheme?"

"Wait..." Both Luke and T'Challa could hear the concern in Cassie's voice. "Red-and-black?"

"More red than black," Deadpool confirmed. "With a ton of belt straps, silver masks and red-tinted-goggles."

Cassie cursed. "Oh, fuck me. The Red Dragon."

"You sure?" Liu's voice asked.

"Positive. If they're here, then that means that somehow they found out that Kano and his buddies are dead, and more than likely, Daegon is leading the charge."

"Cassie! It's Hope! We got Ravenna and Kung Jin!" Hope's voice chirped in her and the others' earpieces.

"Okay, everyone, the first rallying point is compromised," Cassie ordered. "Fall back to the backup point! Meet up at Hangar Three!"

* * *

With Team S-F, five minutes earlier...

Jacqui was puzzled as to why her father had decided to leave so urgently, as were Takeda and Jin, citing that he had something to check out, leaving her with the responsibility of retrieving Ravenna Cage while he wandered off to what used to be the officer's club.

Seconds later, there was an explosion from inside the officer's club. The kind that an anti-tank missile would make. The kind that Jacqui's father used whilst in kombat.

Alarmed, Jacqui and the two men attempted to rush to her father's aid, but stopped upon hearing Cassie's voice inside their heads. ' **I wouldn't worry about Uncle Jax. He was always pretty tough.** '

"Cassandra?" Jin asked. "Is that you?"

' **The one and only, Shaolin punk.** '

"Traitor," Jacqui snarled.

' **In my defense, Raiden betrayed me first, and fucked Dad over. Did you know that he had planned on having him killed during Mortal Kombat?** '

'A likely story,' Takeda sneered. 'Since when you were a telepath.'

' **Long story short, I since I was a kid.** '

"You lie," Jacqui rebuked.

' **Do I?** ' Cassie challenged.

"You're close, Cassandra," Jacqui said. "Show yourself."

' **Turn around.** '

Team S-F did so. Standing in the doorway of the main building, was their former squad leader. She still looked the same the last time she had saw her, the brainwashed team realized. Her hair was slightly longer, Cassie having abandoned the undercut. The catsuit was a different color as well, more black than grey.

For Cassie, her cold expression hid the feelings she had upon seeing her friends again. She was happy that they were alive, but saddened and enraged at what Raiden had done to them. ' **We got some catching up to do, Jacqui,** ' Cassie said. ' **Bring loverboy with you.** ' She looked at Kung Jin. ' **As we speak, a couple of friends are breaking Ravenna out of jail. If you're lucky...** '

Jacqui spun on Jin. She knew that Cassie wasn't bluffing, despite having Johnny as her dad. "Go and secure the girl!" she ordered.

Jin nodded and rushed off to the prison. Cassie, in the meantime, turned from her former teammates and walked back into the building. Jacqui and Takeda followed suit, while Jin rushed off to secure Ravenna.

Arm gauntlets and Sento at the ready, Jacqui and Takeda stormed inside.

* * *

With Cassie...

Cassie entered the building, smirking to herself. Manipulating her former team was a bit harder than her father, but it got the job done.

Now, comes the hard part. Despite it being nearly 20 years, she was not looking forward to this reunion. This was her fight, as she did not want her boyfriend or the two former revenants interfering. This was her burden.

Cassie could not help but to notice the irony of the situation. This was the second time she was in a handicap fighting involving herself, Jacqui and Takeda. Back then, it was she, alongside with Jacqui, who were attacking Takeda whilst under the Blood Code. Only difference was that it didn't turn into a total curb-stomp battle once her parents and the others had gotten involved.

 _" **Poor little Takeda. Growing up surrounded by killers...and more killers...** "_

 _" **When was the last time you played with anyone your own age?** "_

 _"You two are cute...but it's obvious you learned to fight for sport, rather than for survival."_

Now, she was on the receiving end of the match and both Jacqui and Takeda were her opponents.

Her best friend and her boyfriend did not disappoint, as they came charging into the building moments later. The Black Dragon that had accompanied them would had joined them had it not been for the doors slamming shut.

Cassie took a moment to look around the place and mentally noted that the buildings at Cage Incorporated's Main Headquarters were obviously modeled after this one; the second floor overlooking the main lobby, the glass-and-steel structure. Everything. She wondered if her mom had something to do with the architecture of that place.

Jacqui Briggs and Takahashi Takeda didn't have to look for Cassie, as she was waiting for them in the main building's L-shaped corridor. If what Raiden had said was true, then she had been away from Earthrealm for nineteen years, whereas three years had passed here. Meaning that she looked good for a woman in her forties.

She still looked the same the last time she had saw her, the brainwashed couple realized. Her hair was slightly longer, Cassie having abandoned the undercut. The catsuit was a different color as well, more black than grey. Jacqui and Takeda were even more suprised to see that Cassie was in cahoots with Liu Kang and Kitana, even more so upon seeing the both of them alive. And there was the other guy, built like a shit brickhouse, who looked at Cassie with a worried expression.

Simon, for his part, was worried as he sized up his girlfriend's former teammates. The man was of mixed ancestry, his father being Eurasian while his mother was of Thai origin. Clad in the armored uniform of the Shirai Ryu, the yellow-and-black headband which covered his destroyed right eye identified him as a member of the aforementioned clan. Cassie noted that there was a sword in his hand. She recognized it as Sento, Kenshi's sword.

The woman was African-American in origin, beautiful with her hair braided back in cornrows. Her attire reminded Simon of what he would sometimes see Cassie wear while training; a gray tanktop, camouflage fatigues and combat boots. And there were the gauntlets on her hands. Cassie also noted that they were of the shotgun variety.

"Well," Cassie noted in a humorless tone. "This is ironic. I find myself in a handicap match. Only this time, I'm not the one corrupted." She gestured to Liu and the others. "Don't worry. They won't interfere."

"You must be very brave or very foolish to try and take the both of us on," Takeda replied. "Handicap matches are your weakness, Cassandra."

"No. They're yours." Cassie reached back and tied her hair in a bun. "And now...it begins."

Jacqui shook her head. "No. Now it ends."

Cassie cracked her neck muscles. "Okay then. Let's dance."

(Cue 'Sad, But True' from Resident Evil 5)

For a brief moment, neither person moved. Then, Cassie began to walk forward, cracking her knuckles. Jacqui and Takeda followed suit, closing the distance.

Takeda broke into a run. Cassie ducked under Takeda's attempt to take her head with Sento, which was followed by her parrying Jacqui's straight punch to her face. Without turning around, she kicked Takeda in the face, and slammed her fist into Jacqui's breastplate, knocking her to the floor.

Taking one step back to avoid being cleaved in two by Sento, Cassie attempted a kick at Takeda's head, but he ducked. Her second attempt was even more successful, which caused him to drop Sento. Cassie turned her attention back to Jacqui and caught her fist in her hand.

Turning her head, she saw that Takeda had once again recovered, and had Sento in his hand. Cassie was forced to bring Jacqui down alongside her in order to avoid being decapitated. Giving Jacqui a solid knee to the face, Cassie focused on Takeda. The one-eyed chujin wasn't fast enough to counter Cassie's chokehold, but the vertical axe kick knocked Cassie back. He attempted to overload her brain with his telepathy, but Cassie overpowered his telepathy with her own, right before flinging him into the wall.

Jacqui ducked under Cassie's front crescent kick, and Cassie was forced to bring up her psionic shield to block Jacqui's gauntlet blasts. Fed up, Cassie used her telekinesis to remove the deadly weapons from Jacqui's forearms, destroying them with her mind. But Jacqui was just as dangerous without her gauntlets, her expertise being that of kickboxing. And she was stronger than Cassie, as much as the newly-minted captain hated to admit.

Cassie felt the wind knocked out of her lungs from Jacqui's fist embedding itself into her stomach, and the right cross landed flush on her jaw, knocking her down. Cassie's leg lashed out, catching Jacqui in the calf, causing her to stumble, followed by a telekinetic slam into the wall.

Cassie got back to her feet, as did Takeda. Having enough of Sento, Cassie used her powers force Sento from Takeda's hands, and sent it towards Liu and Kitana, where it clattered to the floor. Liu quickly retrieved the weapon as Takeda attempted to ensnare Cassie with his serrated lashes.

Of course, this distraction allowed Jacqui to trap Cassie in a chokehold. A hard kick to Takeda's throat stunned him long enough for Cassie to slam her head back in a reverse headbutt, forcing Jacqui to let her go. This was followed by an elbow that knocked Jacqui down.

Now, Takeda brought out the serrated lashes. A gift from Fujin, Takeda had been trained in how to wield them with deadly efficiency. At least he didn't go for the swords, Cassie realized.

"Careful with those, Takeda," Cassie taunted. "You'll put your eye out."

Takeda growled. Then he went on the attack. Cassie had been hit with those lashes back when she would spar with Takeda. And even with the blades enclosed, they hurt. Cassie raised her leg to block Takeda's kick, then ducked under the whip strike to the face. She then backflipped out of the way, just as Takeda performed the Whip Assault.

Jacqui was not out of the fight just yet. A hard jump kick to the chest knocked Cassie back. The telepath quickly recovered, and parried Jacqui's uppercut, before countering a low kick to her shin with her own kick, parrying the blow. Cassie shifted her body to avoid the body blow, and grabbed Jacqui's wrist in a joint lock, before flinging her towards Takeda. He ducked to avoid Jacqui, but Cassie capitalized by performing the Shadow Kick.

However, Takeda had blocked the move, allowing Jacqui to recover. Now, the pair were double-teaming Cassie, who blocked Takeda's kick, which was followed by Jacqui's own. Takeda ducked under Cassie's spinning back kick, and grabbed Jacqui's wrist when she went for a hard straight punch. Cassie's own fist slammed into Jacqui's ribs, and after grabbing her, spun her so that she and Cassie now switched places; Jacqui was now standing at Takeda's side, allowing Cassie to keep the both of them in her line of sight.

Another of Jacqui's kicks was blocked, and Cassie connected with her own on Takeda. A front snap kick broke through Cassie's defenses, sending her staggering back to Takeda. Spinning just as fast, Cassie caught Takeda with a rabbit punch before turning her attention back to Jacqui. A spinning back hand followed by a cartwheel kick. Takeda grabbed her from behind, only for Cassie to flip him over her shoulder.

"Cassie! Mission accomplished!" Cap's voice said in her earpiece as she parried two of Jacqui's kicks.

"I'm in the main lobby!" Cassie replied as she swept Jacqui's feet from under her. "Meet up with me there!"

"Copy that!"

'Time to finish this,' Cassie thought to herself.

Cassie hopped back to avoid Takeda's dual lashes, landing on her shoulders, her knees nearly touching her face. Then she launched herself back to her feet, completing the suicide kip-up. She moved into Takeda's guard, Cassie landed several body blows, followed by an elbow to the face, followed by a backhand. Cassie then paused, as she sensed Jacqui behind her. Without breaking eye contact on Takeda, she slammed her elbow into her corrupted friend's face. Then she ducked, going into the splits, slamming her fist into Takeda's crotch.

As Takeda screamed in pain, Cassie ensnared both him and Jacqui with her telekinesis, slamming both their heads together, knocking them both out cold.

('Sad, but True' ends here)

Cassie looked barely winded. Normally, Jacqui and Takeda would had given her a run for her money. Now, she had outclassed the both of them due to her parents' insane training methods and her own mutant powers.

"It didn't have to be this way, Jacqui," Cassie said in a sad tone. She crouched down and restrained Jacqui, while Liu worked on Takeda. By this time, Captain America, Frost and Logan – having donned a pair of pants pilfered from a dead Black Dragon – rejoined the group, just as a series of explosions was heard in the distance.

The second set of explosions was even closer, the trucks parked in the front detonating, the force of the blast shattering the windows. Fortunately, Cassie and the others were far from the shards that had fell into the lobby. The sounds of battle soon emerged thereafter. She was also the first to voice what was on the others' minds. "Wade! What the Hell?!"

"It wasn't me that time!" Deadpool defended himself. "One second...uh...okay, why are these guys are trying to steal my color scheme?"

That immediately caught Cassie's attention. "Wait...red-and-black?"

"More red than black. With a ton of belt straps, silver masks and red-tinted-goggles."

Cassie cursed. "Oh, fuck me. The Red Dragon."

Both Liu and Kitana shared concerned looks. "You sure?" asked the former.

"Positive," Cassie replied. "If they're here, then that means that somehow they found out that Kano and his buddies are dead, and more than likely, Daegon is leading the charge."

"Cassie! It's Hope! We got Ravenna and Kung Jin!" Hope's voice chirped in her and the others' earpieces.

"Okay, everyone, the first rallying point is compromised," Cassie ordered. "Fall back to the backup point! Meet up at Hangar Three!"

Five Black Dragons came charging into the lobby through the smoke. They were quickly cut down by the seven Red Dragons that came charging in from behind.

Then, the Red Dragons saw Cassie and her team. "Boss! It's her!" one of them shouted into a headset. "It's Cassie Ca.."

 **BLAM.**

Cassie's Desert Eagle was in her hand, having discharged a shot. The Red Dragon fell with a hole in his throat. Kitana's fans decapitated a second while a third was immolated by Liu's Dragon Flare. The fourth Red Dragon's throat was crushed by Cap's shield when he threw it, while everything from the waist up of the fifth Red Dragon had been reduced to frozen chunks by Frost's ice grenade, a trick she picked up from her uncle.

The last two were quickly dispatched by Wolverine.

'Hangar Three is a mile away from the main building!' Cassie said. 'Let the Black Dragon deal with the Red Dragon! Do not engage unless its absolutely necessary! Fall back!'

As the Avengers and the X-Men quickly made their escape with Frost and Cassie's unconscious best friend and her boyfriend, Cassie froze upon hearing Mavado's voice coming from the radio of the first guy she killed. "Report! Where is Cassie Cage?! Report!"

Deciding not to indulge him, Cassie led her team towards the back door of the building, but not before snagging a headset from the fallen Red Dragon's radio. At the same time, two of the Avengers made their own retreat with a bound former major, while three teenage girls fled with an incapacitated Shaolin archer.


	28. 18: Infiltrating Fort Charles, Final

**Chapter Eighteen: Infiltrating Fort Charles, Conclusion**

Snafu's Notes: I planned on adding a segment with Shang, Mileena and a frenzied Skarlet in this chapter, but that's gonna be posted in the beginning of the next chapter, as this one is long enough. I also opted out of a fight scene, as technically, the mission is on a timetable. With that out of the way, read on...

With Ravenna...

Mileena was gone, Ravenna realized. But she was at least smart enough to leave two Black Dragons at the door.

Too bad Mileena herself wasn't standing guard, otherwise, it would have been her, not the two Black Dragons, who had been crushed under the heavy steel door when she used her telepathy to blow it from its hinges.

As promised, she had given Hope and Magik five minutes.

Casually stepping on the door, and making sure to avoid the blood that was seeping out from underneath the crushed bodies. Expanding her mind, she sensed not only her sister, but also the crew of misfits that had tagged along in order to rescue her.

Ravenna smiled. She had always adored her elder sister, even if she was a bit overprotective. Given what she had experienced back in Earthrealm as a Sergeant under her mother's command, she honestly couldn't blame her for the overkill.

Truth be told, overkill was underrated. That, and it was one of the Cage family's specialties.

Her parents and Cassie had hoped that the burden of Earthrealm intrigue did not fall onto her shoulders. Those hopes were dashed the moment Shang Tsung had her kidnapped. Now, she shared their burden. She was as much of a target for Raiden just like her elder sister, her parents and the former revenants.

Hell, given how Kano and his forces were exterminated, Earth itself was a target.

The jail's corridors were deserted. No Black Dragons in sight.

Ravenna smirked. 'Easy money,' she thought.

"Don't move."

The voice came from behind her. Ravenna mentally cursed. 'Spoke too soon.'

"I got an arrow aimed at your head," the male voice said. "Turn around. Slowly."

Ravenna did as she was told. She turned around. Cocking her head to the side, she sized her opponent up. Chinese, dressed in the garb of a warrior monk, the enchanted, elegant bow with the motif of a dragon's head carved at the top, the bow itself doubling as a staff. Said weapon was being used as a bow, an arrow nocked back, aimed at her head.

"Let me guess...you're Kung Jin, right?" Ravenna guessed.

"Good assumption," Jin replied. "And you must be Ravenna Cage."

"In the flesh. I'm a little bit pressed for time here, so would it be possible that you could let me pass?" Ravenna suggested. "Less headache for me...and less painful for you. Cassie doesn't want to kill you or the others. She wants to free you all from Raiden."

"'Free us?'" Jin repeated. "You misunderstand, Ravenna. Lord Raiden had freed us long before all of this. He has freed us from our demons, our self-doubt. We are united in the defense of Earthrealm from all threats."

"Sorry to break it to ya, but your boss is a power-happy tyrant," Ravenna replied. "And I've seen my share of those kind of guys back home. And trust me when I say that they're more worse than Raiden. Don't be a fool, Jin. Surrender, or else I'm gonna hurt you bad."

"Big words, coming from you," Jin replied. He did not notice neither Magik nor hope standing behind him, the former armed with Soulsword. "In case Cassie didn't tell you about me, I'm pretty dangerous with this bow. Unless you want to be turned into a human pincushion, then quit stalling and surrender."

Ravenna held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. I'll quit stalling. You just won't like what's going to happen next."

One thing about Soulsword is that not only it was a manifestation of Magik's lifeforce, but that it was very lethal when used against magical-based entities. But should a human be impaled by the weapon, it only renders them unconscious.

Fortunately for Jin, he was certainly part of the latter as Magik impaled him from behind. Ravenna herself had been impaled by Magik's Soulsword in the past, and in layman's terms, it hurt like crap. Losing consciousness afterward was considered to be a blessing.

Jin screamed as he felt like his body was riding on a current of lightning, the bow falling from his hand, clattering to the ground. The last thing he heard as he fell to the ground, his mind fading was Ravenna saying "Told ya."

"Sorry we're late," Hope said as Magik removed Soulsword, Ravenna's sword slung behind her back. "We took the scenic route."

"You assholes. I wanted to fight him," Ravenna said, annoyed, but her eyes showed humor, despite the situation. "Where's Cassie?"

"Fighting Jacqui and Takeda," Hope replied.

Magik removed Ravenna's sword and extended it out to her. "Here. Got you a party favor."

Ravenna accepted her weapon and quickly slung it behind her back. She looked at the unconscious Jin. "What's to be done with him?"

"He's to be restrained and brought with us," Hope replied. "Your parents and sister always had a soft spot for Jax and Team S-F. T'Challa and Luke Cage are dealing with Jax as we speak."

"Good to..." Ravenna was cut off by a series of explosions in the distance.

"That would be Deadpool's handiwork," Magik mused.

The second set of explosions were a lot closer.

"That's not Deadpool," Ravenna noted.

Sure enough, the furious voice of Cassie Cage was heard on Magik and Hope's transmitters, thinking along the same lines as were the three girls. "Wade! What the Hell?!"

"It wasn't me that time! One second...uh...okay, why are these guys are trying to steal my color scheme?"

"Wait...red-and-black?"

"More red than black. With a ton of belt straps, silver masks and red-tinted-goggles."

"Oh, fuck me. The Red Dragon."

After a moment, Hope decided to butt in. "Cassie! It's Hope! We got Ravenna and Kung Jin!"

"Okay, everyone, the first rallying point is compromised. Fall back to the backup point! Meet up at Hangar Three!"

Magik made sure that Jin was restrained. Then, he was ensnared by Ravenna's telepathy and hauled out of the barracks. At the same time, Luke Cage and the Black Panther escaped from the Black Dragon's bar with an unconscious Jackson Briggs, while Cassie Cage emerged from the main building's rear entrance, followed by Captain America, Wolverine, Frost, Liu Kang and Kitana. Simon Williams carried the unconscious forms of Jacqui Briggs and Takahashi Takeda on his broad shoulders.

* * *

With Deadpool, about five minutes earlier...

Deadpool was having a blast. So many bad guys to kill. He was in his element. If he could get drunk off the battle madness, then he would be shitfaced for days.

But he was following orders as were given to him by Cassie. The charges were set and in place at the fuel and munitions depots, the timers counting down. But he was spotted by a Black Dragon and the fight was on. They all thought that he was a Red Dragon (whatever that meant) and attacked en masse.

Flipping towards the nearest Black Dragon, Deadpool landed on his head, the Black Dragon getting a face-full of his spandex-covered crotch as Deadpool snapped his neck as he fell back.

"Teabag!" Deadpool shouted as he rolled off the dead Black Dragon.

Not losing his momentum, Deadpool's katana slashed through another Black Dragon's arm, severing it at the elbow. He felt several bullets from a .45 handgun pierce his back, to which he responded by throwing his katana at the offender, impaling him in the heart and pinning him to the wall.

"Stick around," Deadpool said in his best Arnold impression.

Armed with his remaining katana, Deapool proceeded to lop off another Black Dragon's leg, then silenced his screams with a bullet to the head. A second round ended up emasculating another Black Dragon, Deadpool leaving him to bleed out, while another ended up getting his face slashed through his mask.

Rolling forward, Deadpool retrieved his sword, just as Kira made her presence known via Cannonball. After the confrontation with Shang and the others, Kira had left to sulk. Kano was dead, as were his lieutenants, meaning that the future of the Black Dragon was now in jeporady.

And if the Red Dragon found out about the decapitation strike...

Kira was no leader. She was just an arms dealer that had caught Kano's eye due to her killer instinct and her talent with knives. Now, with Kano gone, the idea of leaving while she can looked even more attractive.

Then, as she approached the munitions and fuel depots, she noticed the commotion. A single Red Dragon was carving and shooting his way through the men guarding the depots.

The Cannonball connected, and Deadpool was sent sprawling on the ground. He quickly recovered, just as Kira drew out her knives. "Ooh...a redhead," Deadpool said as he and Kira circled. "So tell me, hot tits: does the curtains match the drapes?"

Kira groaned. "You are a total pig."

"Why thank you." Deadpool replied. He looked at his watch. "Look, I'm a a bit pressed for time, and I gotta get back to Cassie and the others before the shit hits the fan, so how about you just lie down and play dead. I hate breaking and killing nice things."

Deadpool hopped back in order to avoid Kira's knife swings. "You coulda just said no."

"Sticking you with the pointy end is a lot more fun," Kira replied. "And what makes you think that I'm gonna just let you leave?"

"Well, for starters, I can't die," Deadpool explained. "Second, you're nowhere near my level." He paused to produce a folded manila folder and shoved it into Kira's face. "Plus, it's in the fanfic's outline."

Kira looked at the title. "' **Plot Outline** **and Notes** **for** _ **Mortal Kombat: Desperation**_ **?** ' What the hell?!"

"Oops. Wrong file," Deadpool said as he pocketed the file. "You're kinda the good guy in that one." Smirking from underneath his mask, he produced not a second manilla folder, but a flashbang grenade, silently pulling the pin out. "Think fast," he said as he tossed the device at Kira's face, while at the same time turning away, opening his mouth and closing his ears.

 **BOOM.**

Kira screamed as the flashbang grenade went off, blinding her, searing her face. Her knives clattered to the ground as she grabbed her face, still screaming in agony.

"Can't say that I didn't warn you," Deadpool said. He sheathed his swords. "We're gonna have to skip the fight scene here folks, 'cause we're on a time schedule. So with that in mind..." He pauses dramatically...and looks at the reader. "...let's shatter the fourth wall."

* * *

[The scene cuts to Deadpool and Kira, as if they both are fighting in Mortal Kombat XL. Above the pair are their respective health meters; Deadpool's on the left (and regenerating health), whereas Kira's is on the right, her meter being about 75% full. On the bottom are the Enhance Meters; Deadpool's being completely full.

Kira is still holding her burned face, screaming. She doesn't notice Deadpool leaping up and grabbing his health meter. He yanks it free and slams it down on the back of her skull, which cracks upon impact. The second blow from the health meter connects to the side of her jaw, breaking it and knocking out some teeth Now, Deadpool crouches down, and yanks his Enhance meter.

A hard kick to Kira's stomach makes her double over, alowing Deadpool to smash his Enhance meter into her back, breaking several of her ribs and rupturing some of her organs. He then finishes the X-Ray by swinging the Enhance meter like a Louisville Slugger, catching Kira square in the jaw, breaking it and sending some of her teeth flying, knocking her into the air, going ass over teakettle, all the while Deadpool is chanting...]

DEADPOOL: (sing-song) This is my X-Ray Kombo...this is my X-Ray Kombo...

* * *

Back to the actual story...

Kira landed in a heap. The flashbang that Deadpool had thrown in her face had detonated too close for her to respond, and the end result was that the intense flash had all but seared her retinas, not to mention deafening her and giving her some serious burns on her face. Then he used something big and heavy to beat her six ways to Sunday. Her left arm was broken, as she had landed hard on it after Deadpool had knocked her into the air.

She was in her own nightmare; blind, deaf, and in unspeakable pain.

Deadpool sighed. "Why you didn't listen to me?" he mused as he watched Kira lash out wildly, screaming in a combination of rage and agony. "I told you I hated to break and kill nice things."

"YOU BASTARD! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Kira screamed, although she couldn't hear herself screaming.

"Matt Murdock, you ain't," Deadpool replied. "Then again, you ain't Echo either." He raised his gun, and relented. "Nah. Gonna need to save my bullets." He holstered his guns, reached behind his back, and pulled out a rubber chicken instead. "We're gonna go with some good old-fashioned Cluck-Fu instead."

Holding both ends of the chicken in his hands, Deadpool leapt up-and-over Kira, the rubber chicken pressed hard up against her throat, strangling her upon him landing on the ground. With only one good hand, Kira was unable to break free as she was slowly strangled to death.

"Yeah...you like that, don't ya, ya naughty girl?" Deadpool whispered, despite Kira being unable to hear. He held her in place until he heard the death rattle. When he released her, Kira fell over, dead.

"Now that's how you choke the chicken," Deadpool said, putting the rubber chicken away.

Then, he remembered the bombs that he placed inside the munitions and fuel depots, as they both detonated, erupting in a ball of flame.

Looking down at the dead Kira, Deadpool grabbed her body and fed it to the flames. "Here you go, hot tits. A Viking funeral."

Then, he heard the second set of explosions, near the main building of the base. "Okay, that was not me," he muttered as he turned from Kira's burning body. From the shadows, nine men emerged, clad in black-and-red outfits. "I'm willing to bet that Cassie's gonna blaime me for this..."

* * *

With Cassie...

Cassie looked barely winded. Normally, Jacqui and Takeda would had given her a run for her money. Now, she had outclassed the both of them due to her parents' insane training methods and her own mutant powers.

"It didn't have to be this way, Jacqui," Cassie said in a sad tone. She crouched down and restrained Jacqui, while Liu worked on Takeda. By this time, Captain America, Frost and Logan – having donned a pair of pants pilfered from a dead Black Dragon – rejoined the group, just as a series of explosions was heard in the distance.

The second set of explosions was even closer, the trucks parked in the front detonating, the force of the blast shattering the windows. Fortunately, Cassie and the others were far from the shards that had fell into the lobby. The sounds of battle soon emerged thereafter. She was also the first to voice what was on the others' minds. "Wade! What the Hell?!"

"It wasn't me that time!" Deadpool defended himself. "One second...uh...okay, why are these guys are trying to steal my color scheme?"

That immediately caught Cassie's attention. "Wait...red-and-black?"

"More red than black. With a ton of belt straps, silver masks and red-tinted-goggles."

Cassie cursed. "Oh, fuck me. The Red Dragon."

Both Liu and Kitana shared concerned looks. "You sure?" asked the former.

"Positive," Cassie replied. "If they're here, then that means that somehow they found out that Kano and his buddies are dead, and more than likely, Daegon is leading the charge."

"Cassie! It's Hope! We got Ravenna and Kung Jin!" Hope's voice chirped in her and the others' earpieces.

"Okay, everyone, the first rallying point is compromised," Cassie ordered. "Fall back to the backup point! Meet up at Hangar Three!"

Five Black Dragons came charging into the lobby through the smoke. They were quickly cut down by the seven Red Dragons that came charging in from behind.

Then, the Red Dragons saw Cassie and her team. "Boss! It's her!" one of them shouted into a headset. "It's Cassie Ca.."

 **BLAM.**

Cassie's Desert Eagle was in her hand, having discharged a shot. The Red Dragon fell with a hole in his throat. Kitana's fans decapitated a second while a third was immolated by Liu's Dragon Flare. The fourth Red Dragon's throat was crushed by Cap's shield when he threw it, while everything from the waist up of the fifth Red Dragon had been reduced to frozen chunks by Frost's ice grenade, a trick she picked up from her uncle.

The last two were quickly dispatched by Wolverine.

'Hangar Three is a mile away from the main building!' Cassie said. 'Let the Black Dragon deal with the Red Dragon! Do not engage unless its absolutely necessary! Fall back!'

As the Avengers and the X-Men quickly made their escape with Frost and Cassie's unconscious best friend and her boyfriend, Cassie froze upon hearing Mavado's voice coming from the radio of the first guy she killed. "Report! Where is Cassie Cage?! Report!"

Deciding not to indulge him, Cassie led her team towards the back door of the building, but not before snagging a headset from the fallen Red Dragon's radio.

* * *

Chaos. Utter chaos.

There was this one show that Cassie's mom enjoyed watching with her dad. Cassie tried to get into it, but medieval fantasy wasn't her thing. But she did catch the episode in which a king, his wife and his mother were all attending a wedding with his army, only to be butchered by its hosts in a gross violation of what was known as 'the guest right.'

The king's wife was stabbed repeatedly in the stomach - didn't help matters that the woman was pregnant - while the king was peppered with crossbow bolts and finished off by a traitorous vassal, and his mom was the last to fall due to a slit throat. The king's army was then liquored up and killed, unable to fight back. Then, to be a total dick, the king's head was severed and the head of his pet wolf was sewn on the stump and paraded around the castle grounds.

Seeing how the Red Dragon was terminating the Black Dragons with extreme prejudice reminded Cassie of that show's episode...only with more explosions and the sounds of gunfire. With Kano's death at her hands and the decimation of the senior commanders, morale within the Black Dragon Clan was at an all-time low. But with the Red Dragon's methodical extermination of their rival clan, their concerns regarding Kano's death were now insignificant.

Cassie had opted to allow the Black Dragons to provide battle fodder for the Red Dragons, allowing her and her team to escape. But it wasn't easy. Not with her sister, two former revenants, a renegade ice ninja, and an assortment of heroes – her boyfriend included – and her surrogate uncle and former teammates being her responsibility.

But if there was one thing about Cassandra Cage that everyone knew, it was that she thrived under pressure. Even when she was a Sergeant operating out of this base back when it was under her mother's command, Cassie truly shined when she was under pressure. Some say that it was a Blade trait, others a Cage specialty.

Her beating down a corrupted Elder God proved that.

In the midst of the chaos, fortunately, the assorment of heroes was given a reprieve once inside the safety of Hangar No.3. The massive doors were closed and locked, and the side door that Cassie and the others had came in had been fused shut, along with the back door while everyone caught their breath inside the office. The radio that Cassie had pilfered from the dead Red Dragon was still active, Cap walking over and turning the volume up ever so slightly, listening to Daegon's voice barking out orders.

Everyone looked to be out of breath from dodging both the Black and Red Dragons, but they were still in one piece, Cassie included. While Magik took a moment to place an enchantment on Kitana, thus blocking her from being detected by Shang Tsung (if only temporary), Kitana made sure that the enchantments she had in place on Jax and Team S-F kept them unconscious.

"Okay, everyone," Cassie began, "rest up. We're leaving in five minutes."

"Why not just use the portal stone?" Liu asked, gesturing the item in question in her pocket. "We have what we came for. We got Ravenna and Team S-F."

"I don't know if it will work here," Cassie said in all honesty. "When Mom was given command of the base, she had Raiden and the Shaolin place anti-portal wards and seals along the base. Keeps the bad guys from opening the portals leading to inside the base."

"I guess its safe to say that those wards were weakened or destroyed, seeing as how the Red Dragon was able to invade and destroy the base," Cap replied. "You were being cautious."

"Being too cautious can get one killed, Captain America," Liu rebuked. "Trust me when I say that both Kitana and myself are experts in that area."

"But I do have a way out of here," Cassie said. "There's a reason why I chose this place as a fallback spot." She turned to Cap. "Blue, you still got that ID Card?"

Cap nodded and produced the item in question. After handing it to Cassie, the blonde Cage walked over to a plan-looking circuit breaker. Cassie opened the lid and slid the card into a hidden card reader located at the bottom of the box.

"One thing about Mom," Cassie said as she pulled out several of the fuses and begins to place them back in different slots, "she always plans ahead. I didn't know about this place until recently. She pulled me to the side and told me about what Hangar Three had hidden, just in case the base was overrun."

Cassie then flipped the switch on the side. Warning lights and klaxons began to ring. In the middle of the hangar, the floor began to slowly slide back, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the hangar.

"That escape route in her office wasn't the only one Mom had in place," Cassie explained. "This one will take us out of the base. But it's a two-mile run to the coast." She then turned to Liu. "Are we impressed yet?"

"You're getting there," Liu replied, slightly impressed.

Before anyone could move, they felt a pulse of energy. Small, but powerful enough to be noticed by everyone in the room. It wasn't hostile in any way, but gentle.

"You...guys felt that, right?" Cassie asked.

Everyone nodded.

The second pulse of energy was enough to draw everyone's attention to its source. "Um...Cass?" Ravenna began, pointing to the object in question. "It's coming from the sword."

Resting on the desk, next to Kung Jin's Dragon-Head Bow, Sento was actually glowing in a soft blue light.

"That's no ordinary sword, isn't it?" Cap asked, watching the sword with a wary eye.

"Anything involving us is less than ordinary," Kitana replied as she moved next to Liu.

' **...draw the sword...** '

The whisper was accompanied by a soft pulse of energy coming from Sento. Liu felt it, as did Kitana and the others. "Did you guys...?" Liu began, looking at the sword.

Again, everyone nodded.

' **Cassandra...draw the sword...** ' the voice whispered yet again, followed by another soft pulse of energy, this time directed at Cassie.

The voice was one that Cassie recognized. She stretched out her hand, and Sento rose from the table. Slowly, it fluttered towards Cassie, until it settled in her hand, the elder Cage gripping it by the scabbard. Swordplay was Ravenna's forte. Cassie was happy with either a knife or a baton.

"Careful, Cassandra," Liu warned.

Cassie looked at the former Shaolin. "Sento likes me...I think," she said hesitantly.

Taking a deep breath, Cassie gripped the sword's handle and gently drew the blade. Sento's blade pulsed red for a moment, before turning back to a vibrant blue, as it seems to recognize Cassie's aura.

Ravenna and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing happened.

"See?" Cassie said, still gripping the blade, the blade glowing blue. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Sento still likes me."

' **You would think that, would you, Cassandra?** ' the voice asked, coming from within Sento.

Before anyone said anything, the sword began to glow with an intense white light that blinded everyone present.

Sento was not a sentient sword, per se. But it was wielded by a line of warrior-kings originating from Eurasia. Kenshi and Takeda were of that bloodline. Well, now Takeda, seeing as how Kenshi was dead. The sword also contained the souls of its past wielders, the sword having absorbed the souls of its wielders upon their deaths.

As it turns out, Kenshi was one of the souls inhabiting the blade. His spirit, in the form of a hazy, blue aura, emerged from Sento's blade. The aura then took the form of a man, one the Exiled Kombatants recognized almost instantly, despite the fact that it had been nineteen long years since they've saw him last.

He was as Cassie remembered him; a bearded man, the bandanna covering his eyes now gone, clad in red-and-black armor.

As expected, the Avengers and the X-Men were on the defensive upon seeing the ethereal figure, but Kitana raised a single hand, calming them down. "He is Takeda's father," she said, pointing to the unconscious Shirai Ryu ninja.

"Kenshi..." Cassie whispered.

Kenshi smiled, albeit it was a sad smile. "Cassandra. I wished that the circumstances of our meeting were more pleasant." He turned to Liu and Kitana. "Liu Kang. Kitana. The last time we saw each other, you both were revenants."

"Not anymore," Kitana replied, trying to keep the emotion from choking her voice. "Jade freed us. How...?"

"I died at the hands of Kotal Kahn," Kenshi explained. "I died during Mortal Kombat, in which Raiden was victorious and absorbed Outworld into Earthrealm, as you already know. Fortunately, Shang Tsung did not steal my soul, as Sento absorbed it. With my death, was I freed from Raiden's corruption. Only during your battle with Takeda and Jacqueline, did I sense the power coming from you, Cassandra." He smiled sadly. "It appears that Takeda may have some competition when it comes to telepathy and telekinesis once his mind is freed from Raiden's corruption."

Kenshi turned to Liu. "Cassandra was wise in not using the portal stone, as it would ultimately lead to you doom. It would drop you in one of three places: the Sky Temple, the Shirai Ryu temple or the Lin Kuei temple."

"That would be bad indeed," Liu said, thankful that Cassie didn't use the portal stone. "As much as I miss the other revenants, I do not wish to return to the Netherrealm."

"However, all is not lost," Kenshi continued. "Cassandra has done the Elder Gods a great service in defeating Shinnok, and while they cannot directly stop Raiden, they do owe a great debt towards Team S-F in saving Earthrealm."

"Guess now's a good time to cash it in," Cassie said.

"Indeed," Kenshi nodded. His eyes began to glow and Sento flew out of Cassie's hand. The weapon hovered in the air, in front of Kenshi. The deceased swordsman's eyes glowed with a soft blue light as he stared at what once was his weapon. As Cassie and the others watched in awe, the color of the blade changed from vermillion to that of the purest emerald.

"Courtesy of the Elder Gods," Kenshi explained. "The portal stone is useless on the base. You need to be as far away from here in order to properly use it."

"We got an escape plan," Cassie said, pointing to the escape hatch.

Kenshi shook his head. "No. Where you will go will take too long to get there. By that time Raiden will be well-aware of your presence. Once he knows you're here and you're in that, it's game over." He then willed Sento back towards Cassie, handle-first. "Use Sento to open a portal to the Macau ruins. The same way you use the portal stone will work on Sento. Then make your way through the city. Sento will guide you. Once you reach the destination, then you can use the portal stone to return home."

Cap decided to break the silence. "Why are you helping us?"

Kenshi sighed. "I always wasn't the best father towards Takeda," he said, looking at his son. "I was what you may call, a deadbeat. I left him in the care of the Shirai Ryu, but I had my reasons. I had lost Suchin, my lover, who was also Takeda's mother. I could not bear to lose my son as well. I failed him as a father one too many times." He turned to Cassie. "Cassandra...I beg of you...get my son out of Earthrealm. Get him out of here and free him of Raiden's corruption."

Cassie nodded. "You have my word, Kenshi. I've failed my team once. I won't do it again."

Kenshi smiled. "You truly are your parents' daughter, Cassandra. May the Elder Gods watch over you all." With those words, he was gone, his soul having returned to Sento, now glowing blue once again.

Cassie smiled softly. She always did had a soft spot for the blind swordsman. He was one of her many mentors in the past. Having an actor for a dad and a military mom had its benefits.

But Macau? The epicenter of what was the Netherrealm War? Her parents had fought in the war, and were right smack in the action there.

'Oh well. Beggars can't be choosers,' Cassie thought. To the others, she simply said, "We're leaving. Now."

* * *

At the same time, on Shang Tsung's Island...

Kuai Liang and Hanzo Hasashi stood side-by-side as Raiden approached his most valuable prisoner. The transfer from Seido to Shang Tsung's island fortress had went without a hitch. The dark thunder god took in the sight of his former comrade-in-arms, his once-pristine clothes now soiled, the long white hair marred with dirt and grime. His powers had been drained by Raiden, but Fujin was worth more alive.

Then again, one can't truly kill a God. But there are fates worse than death.

But even three years after his imprisonment in his role in allowing Cassandra Cage to flee Earthrealm along with her parents, Fujin remained defiant.

Raiden looked at the half-dead god and smirked. "I trust your accommodations are to you liking, Fujin?" he asked.

Fujin responded by spitting a glob of bloody spit in Raiden's face. That earned him an electrified backhand from Raiden. With Fujin, Raiden could go all out on Fujin, unlike his mortal champions.

Despite screaming in pain from the blow, Fujin remained defiant, his chained hands keeping him from attacking his former ally.

"I thought you of all people would understand," Raiden continued as he wiped his face. "Understand why I am doing this."

"Corrupting your champions and putting a death sentence on those who fled Earthrealm? Having innocents killed?" Fujin rebuked. "You have gone insane, Raiden."

Raiden responded with a second electrified backhand to the bound god. "Mind your tongue, lest I decide to rip it out of your mouth once again. Your efforts in allowing Cassandra Cage to flee from my grasp, while a hindrance, has proven in the long run, futile."

If anything, Fujin did not look surprised. Despite everything, he looked amused. "Is that so?"

"It seems that the realm that Cassandra and her parents have fled to, time and space move very different from here in the realms," Raiden replied. "They have been gone for nineteen years, more than enough time to prepare. But in the end, despite the deaths of Kano and his lieutenants, futile."

"For you, maybe," Fujin rebuked. "You will lose in the end."

"Lose? Hardly. The Elder Gods have done nothing to reprimand me after I have imprisoned you here. They stood by when I killed Kotal Kahn and claimed Outworld as my own. They did nothing when I ordered Vera Briggs' death. The Elder Gods have forsaken you, old friend. Perhaps Shao Kahn was right in calling them toothless worms."

"You still don't understand, Raiden," Fujin said. "Even after all this time...you still don't understand humans. Men like Kano and Daegon are easy to manipulate; but people like Cassandra and her parents, they are unpredictable. They make the impossible possible."

"Be that as it may," Raiden replied, "I have the advantage. Shang Tsung has Johnny and Sonya's second daughter, Ravenna Cage." His face twisted into a sinister smile. "The greatest fear of any parent is to outlive one's child. We shall see just how much Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade are willing to sacrifice in exchange for her life."

Much to Raiden's surprise, Fujin smirked, despite the bloodied and bruised face. "You will find out soon enough," he replied. "Cassandra is already here. I can sense her along with Liu Kang and Princess Kitana."

The look on Raiden's face was priceless. Even Hanzo and Kuai were shocked as they shared worried looks with one another.

Fujin cackled. "In your arrogance, you failed to realize how far Ravenna's parents and sister will go in getting their loved one back." His laughter became even louder. "The Elder Gods will not interfere only because they still favor your former champions! Your days are numbered!"

Raiden did not hesitate in electrocuting Fujin, his laughter changing to screams as he was shocked into unconsciousness. Spinning on his heels, he stormed out of the room, followed by the two grandmasters.

"Scorpion, Subzero, gather your best men and meet me at the Sky Temple!" Raiden ordered. "There is only one place that Cassandra Cage can flee to! She will not escape this time!"

The two men nodded.

* * *

Ruins of Macau.

Liu Kang and Kitana had not been present during in Macau during the Netherrealm War. They had been attacking the Wu Shi Academy at the time on Quan Chi's orders. Cassie's parents and Kenshi had led the attack on the Netherrealm forces, which led to Johnny fighting both Hanzo and Kuai Liang.

After the war, the Chinese government sealed the city off. No one was allowed in and no one was allowed out. But that didn't stop the most determined scavenger or the occasional Oni attack from sneaking past the guards. But with the collapse of the Chinese government, the ruins was mostly home to Outworlder refugees who had settled along the coast. They stayed away from the interior of the city, as they believed it to be cursed.

Katanas in hand, Deadpool let out a whistle. "This must've been one hell of a shindig," he said.

Liu and Kitana rolled their eyes. "Can I kill him now?" he asked.

"We both tried that, remember?" Kitana replied.

Liu frowned. "Oh. Right. Damn healing factor."

Sento in hand, Cassie led the others down the streets of the ruined city. As she had once been here before, she knew her way around the area pretty well. The ruins of Macau reminded Liu and Kitana of their past crimes as revenants. They had long since made their peace with their past, conquering their demons. But to see something that Shinnok was responsible for had opened up old wounds.

Cassie and Ravenna both sensed the former revenants' emotions. "This wasn't your fault," the latter said.

"Still doesn't make me feel any better," Kitana replied, thankful for the support.

"I've hears stories about this place growing up," Frost said. "No one saw it coming. The old-timers say that this place was cursed by the denziens of hell."

"Reminds me of Genosha," Cap muttered.

"Genosha?" Frost repeated.

"An island off the coast of Africa," Logan explained. "A nation for mutants. But the island was attacked, its inhabitants nearly slaughtered."

"I was part of the rescue effort when word reached us of the Sentinel attack," Cassie explained. "Me...Ravenna, Magik, Hope. Some of the Avengers were there as well. Out of a population of 16 million, less than a thousand survived."

Adjusting the weight of the unconscious Kung Jin and Takeda on his shoulders, Simon had a worried look on his face. "Cassie...seriously, I don't like this. Feels like I'm back in high school."

"You mean being in a hostile place, unprepared with everyone trying to either kick your ass and kill you?" Cassie replied as she stopped at an intersection.

"You are a total buzz-kill, Cass," Simon replied.

"Now what?" Cap asked.

Cassie said nothing. She stepped forward, and waved Sento to the left. The blade glowed red before turning back blue when Cassie turned back. The same thing happened when she stepped forward two more steps. She turned right, and the blade glowed a brilliant white. "This way," she said, walking down a side street.

"If Macau's the same here as it is back home," Logan drawled, "then we're about two clicks away from Senado Square."

"The portal stone's becoming stronger," Cassie said. "We may end up reaching the location before then."

"Good to hear," Magik said, Soulsword in her own hands. "My powers are starting to go haywire. If this continues, Darkchylde will emerge."

Black Panther, in the meantime, was looking around the city. "This place has eyes," he said.

Kitana seconded his concern. "I know. We're being watched."

Logan shook his head. "No. Not watched. Tracked."

Making their way up the street, they came across the skeletal remains of soldiers and Netherrealm oni. Further up ahead, were several rusted-out remains of military helicopters – CH-47 Chinnoks, each with the insignia of Special Forces still visible. One in particular had a long, narrow gash, as it someone had impaled a blade on it to keep from falling to certain death.

Cassie and the others recognized the helicopters as the same ones seen when Sonya and Johnny showed them their past lives in the Netherrealm. Further up ahead, it was worse. Another four-way intersection. Only this time, in the midst of the partially-collapsed and destroyed buildings, a passenger jet had crashed into the earth, its cockpit and first class sheared off from the impact, held upward by the bus that it crashed into. More half-destroyed cars littered the street, some overturned, some even appeared to be in working condition, their owners having abandoned them when the invasion began.

Cassie, Liu and Kitana felt the pulse of the portal stone. "We're here." She sheathed Sento, giving Kenshi a silent nod of thanks.

Logan approached Cassie, accompanied by Liu and Kitana. "Cass, we're being watched," the Canadian mutant warned.

"I know," Cassie replied. "It's not Raiden." She closed her eyes. "I'm sensing at least thirty. Two of them stick out like a sore thumb."

Hope Summers readied her gun. "I sense them too," she said, while everyone – save for Luke and Simon – were on their guard.

Magik frowned. "I'm sensing fire. No, hellfire. And ice. Colder than even that of Frost."

Cassie, Liu, Frost and Kitana mentally groaned. There were only two people that they knew who wielded such powers. For a time, both were revenants until they were freed by Cassie's parents and Raiden. In fact, it was their handiwork on the choppers that they had passed minutes earlier.

Cassie closed her eyes, willing her guns into her hands, the safeties flipping off. A silent demonstration of her power. It had the desired effect. She sensed their hesitation upon witnessing that display of her power. She would had went with the pyrokinesis, but that was something her dad would have done. She had hoped that Subzero and Scorpion would see reason and not fight. But the corruption was too strong in them both. Dying and being revived as an undead thug in the past had that effect on them.

Cassie sensed them. They were watching her every move. She could also sense the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei moving into position, blocking off any and all escape routes.

' **Hanzo Hasashi, Grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu. Kuai Liang, Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei,** ' Cassie mentally intoned, her voice inside their heads. ' **I know the both** **are here, and I know that the both** **of you can hear me. I know that your men has us surrounded. No need to be afraid of little ol' me. Come on out. Let's talk.** '

The two grandmasters emerged; the former, clad in the warrior colors of the Shirai Ryu (i.e., his Hanzo costume), the latter in traditional Lin Kuei dress (i.e., his default costume). A silent command, and the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn.

Frost looked at her uncle, the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, who looked suprised to see her alive after all this time. But she kept silent as she was on her guard, ice daggers in her hands. Liu and Kitana flanked Cassie, while Cap stood on Liu's left. Luke Cage emerged on Kitana's right, having placed both Jax and Jacqui on the ground.

Liu wasn't surprised to see the two ninjas here. "Scorpion and Subzero. Once, the deadliest of enemies..."

"...now slaves under Raiden's power," Kitana finished.

"Wow," Cassie mused. "So weird how you run into people nowadays." She turned to Liu. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Very," Liu replied.

"Indeed," Kitana seconded.

"Cassandra Cage," Subzero drawled, ice forming around his legs. "I see that talking is still your first choice."

"I'm a sucker for a good conversation," Cassie replied. "Very good for the soul. I like to negotiate first. That way, I don't feel bad when I choose to fight when negotiations fail."

Scorpion's signature kunai slipped from his hand, still secured by a length of chain. "You and your comrades are surrounded. You cannot escape, let alone win."

"Pulling of the impossible is a Cage specialty," Cassie replied. "You'd think you'd know that by now, Hanzo."

"And you have my student," Scorpion added, looking at Takeda's unconscious form. "I cannot allow you to take him, or his teammates. Do what is right not only for your sister, but for your comrades. Lay down your arms, and surrender. Lord Raiden is merciful to those who gain his favor."

Kitana snorted. "Do you know what Raiden's 'mercy' is, Hanzo? I watched my best friend die a second time on Raiden's orders. Kano raped, tortured and murdered Jax's wife. Is that what you consider mercy?"

"Oh, and there's Raiden ordering my father's death alongside Mom's," Cassie added.

"Your parents are traitors," Subzero replied. "What Lord Raiden has done was to keep Earthrealm safe. Sacrifice one to save a hundred."

"And what do you call what Raiden had done to Chaosrealm?" Frost challenged, glaring at her uncle. "Genocide?"

Subzero looked at his niece. "No. Justice."

Cassie snorted. "I'd expect that line of thought from Hotaru."

"You would be surprised as to how much the Seidan and I think," Daegon's voice rang out. Twin swords in hand, the Edenian-born Red Dragon chieftain emerged from Scorpion's right. "Hotaru is very affable once you get around his obsession with order."

The sound of automatic rifles being cocked were loud in the silence of the destroyed city. From the rooftops, Red Dragon snipers had their rifles aimed at Cassie. More Red Dragon swarmed in, armed with swords and firearms.

"Ooohh!" Deadpool squealed. "Now it's a party!"

Cassie sized the older man up. "So you're Daegon. Finally a face to match the name. Where's Mavado?"

Daegon's response was to merely smile. Much to his surprise, Cassie smiled back as she fired off a mental message to Cap. ' **Blue, he's above us.** '

Cap looked up, and a second later, let loose with his shield, knocking Mavado – who had dove from one of the rooftops, hoping to jump Cassie from behind – off-target. The shield came back to Cap after ricocheting off of Mavado and the hooksword-wielding second-in-command flipped out of the attack and landed beside Subzero.

The Red Dragons aimed their guns, but a silent gesture from Daegon made them hold their fire.

Hookswords in hand, Mavado glared at Cassie. "Looks like the reports of your death were exaggerated," Cassie noted.

"The same can be said for you," Mavado replied. "Something that will be rectified."

"Mavado, enough. Raiden wants Cassandra and her sister alive," Daegon ordered.

"Oh, I'm hoping that she chooses not to surrender," Mavado said. "I would love to have Jacqui watch as I break you."

"I guess splitting you open did little for your manners," Cassie replied. Her irises went from blue to red, yet she remained in control. The two Red Dragons and the brainwashed ninjas took a step back. "I could go for something a bit more permanent."

Before Mavado could reply, the report of thunder was heard. Cassie and her team looked to the skies. Storm clouds were gathering. Lightning was seen inside the clouds. "Aw, fuck," she cursed.

Liu and Kitana saw the clouds and the lightning, and also paled. Like Cassie, they also knew who was coming. "Oh, no..." the former Empress whispered.

A near-deafening report of thunder and an intense flash of lightning heralded the arrival of the god who was once their mentor. Seven feet tall, clad in dark clothing, Shinnok's amulet fastened to his shirt as if it was a trophy, arcs of lightning dancing around his body and slate-gray skin as his reddish-golden eyes looked down on his former champions and their allies from his place in the air.

Raiden, the god of thunder and lightning, once the benevolent protector of Earthrealm, now its corrupted overlord.


	29. 19: Rage And Absolution

**Chapter Nineteen: The Phoenix's Rage and Cassie's Absolution**

Snafu's Notes: As an early birthday gift to me, I am posting this early (I turn 34 in November, and I've been writing for over 22 years). Remember that Chekhov's Gun I cocked in the Union Vale side story? It goes off in this chapter. Also, this chapter is probably the longest one in the fanfic. Enjoy.

Fort Charles, about fifteen minutes after Cassie and her team escaped to Macau...

Shang Tsung's head hurt. Along with his jaw, chest and groin. That annoying voice on the speaker did not help much to stave off his headache. But it did raise some cause for alarm.

"Self-destruct failsafe can no longer be activated. You have five minutes to evacuate the building immediately. Self-destruct imminent. You have five minutes to escape to minimum safe distance."

But Skarlet's screams as she pounded on the door - now with several huge dents in the steel, was also starting to concern him.

Shang had underestimated Kitana. Not only that, but he also underestimated Cassandra Cage. She knew that he would be lured in thanks to his tracking Kitana. And he paid the price. But Kitana had spared his life, her words ringing in her head. He had killed Jade and now, she wanted his head on a platter.

 _"You live not because you amuse me, but your life is mine to take. Today is not that day. That is not the courtesy of Edenian royalty, but of an Outworld assassin."_

Kitana was gone. He could still detect her, but it was faint, meaning that she was still in Earthrealm. And if she was still here, so was Cassandra Cage and her sister. That haymaker from Cassandra's companion sure as hell hurt, though, and his crotch was still throbbing, which is why he was leaning up against the wall.

Which is where Mileena had found him, accompanied by Mavado and a squad of Red Dragons. When Mileena had left Ravenna in the care of two Black Dragons, she had emerged from the prison just in time to see that the Red Dragons were putting the Black Dragons to the sword. When she returned to take custody of Ravenna, however, she had saw that she had escaped, the two guards having been crushed underneath the heavy door.

"Master Tsung! Are you okay?" Mileena asked as she rushed over to her creator.

Before Shang could reply, Mavado butted in, while the Red Dragons accompanying him checked the dented door. "Ravenna Cage is gone."

"I noticed," Shang replied, rubbing his jaw. "Cassandra Cage was successful in not only retrieving her sister, but also Jackson Briggs and her former team." He looked outside, and watched as the Red Dragon finished off what remained of the Black Dragon. "I assume that you're here because you and your master are aware of Kano's demise?"

Mavado nodded. "Raiden had long since felt that Kano has outlived his usefulness to him. The invasion of his base was inevitable." His eyes narrowed. "You underestimated Cage."

Shang gestured to the scar that was on his chest. "Your failure is more prominent than mine," he replied, "and she was only a teenager when she did that."

Mavado bristled at that. "What Cassandra has done to me, I shall pay her back a hundredfold."

Shang noticed that Mavado's men were missing. Then he turned around, and saw them attempting to pry the door open with a crowbar. Almost immediately, he remembered what Cassie had done, and why Skarlet was locked inside.

"NO!" Shang shouted. "DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR!"

Unfortunately, Shang's warning came too late.

The door was kicked open from the inside, knocking the Red Dragon with the crowbar on his back. Skarlet was upon him in an instant, ripping him apart with her bare hands, blood splattering all over her face, his screams silencing only when Skarlet ripped his jaw off its hinges. Skarlet was a construct created from blood. The more blood she absorbed, the stronger she became.

On top of that, she was corrupted by the Blood Code, and it was permanent. Meaning that Skarlet was an unstoppable juggernaut of death. Cassie knew what she was doing when she inflicted the Blood Code on Skarlet. She was to weaken the forces of the Black Dragon. But Daegon's invasion of Fort Charles had brought those plans to a halt.

Now, Shang, Mileena and Mavado were in danger of being mauled to death by a rampaging construct who gets stronger each time she comes into contact with blood.

Eyes completely red, her mouth smeared with blood, Skarlet hissed at the four remaining Red Dragons that stood between herself, and Shang, Mileena and Mavado.

"The Blood Code..." Mileena whispered in horror.

Shang nodded. "Cassandra inflicted on Skarlet as a measure of revenge."

Skarlet charged. The four Red Dragons did not stand a chance. Then, she turned her attention to Shang, Mavado and Mileena.

Acting quickly, Shang fired off three consecutive Flaming Skulls. Skarlet was knocked back, but that attack was merely a distraction in itself. Mileena had teleported behind Skarlet and in a dose of irony, destroyed her legs via her Ground Roll, leaving her helpless.

But not for long, as her legs began to regenerate. With less than a minute remaining, Shang, Mavado and Mileena decided that now would be the best time to make their retreat, lest they would still be in the building once it blew. A Flaiming Skull destroyed a window and part of the wall, allowing Shang, Mileena and Mavado to make their escape. The three leapt from the top floor, Shang gently landing on his feet, while Mileena teleported to the ground, carrying Mavado.

They barely cleared the building once it blew, the blast wave knocking all three to the ground. Skarlet's body rocketed out of the building, and landed on the chassis of a car, a burnt, blackened mass of leather and blood.

"It seems that Cassandra Cage has left her mark here," Raiden dryly noted, having teleported in. "Am I to believe that Ravenna Cage is no longer in your custody?"

Shang nodded as he got back to his feet. "Jackson Briggs and Team S-F are gone as well."

"No matter," Raiden replied. "I know where she is going." To Mavado, he said, "Get in contact with Daegon. He and the Red Dragon are to meet up with the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu at the Macau ruins. Cassandra used the ruins to cover her tracks and escape the first time around. She will not escape a second time."

"With pleasure, Lord Raiden," Mavado said.

"Please bear in mind, that I want both Cage sisters alive, Mavado," Raiden reminded him.

"That's up to them, isn't it?" Mavado replied. "Better hope that they surrender, then."

Raiden looked around at the carnage. He would have been upset over the fact that Daegon had went over his head, but Kano and the Black Dragon had outlived their usefulness. Daegon was more disciplined. Both he and Mavado knew not to cross him, despite the latter's past grievances with Cassie Cage.

But Mavado was right about one thing. How this confrontation will play out will be up to Cassie. Personally, Mavado hoped that Cassie would do things the hard way.

* * *

Ruins of Macau, now...

For Liu Kang and Kitana, Raiden looked exactly the same as the day he had delivered Shinnok's severed head to them all those years ago. The clothes were the same as he had wore on that day, the skin a darker tone, the eyes now had a reddish tint within the yellow.

For Cassie, it was the same for her, only that Raiden had ordered her to kill Shujinko.

The dark thunder god looked down at the group of warriors, surrounded by the Shirai Ryu, the Lin Kuei and the Red Dragon, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Cassie Cage, Liu Kang and Kitana. There was the woman who Shang had said was the progeny of Johnny and Sonya, meaning that she was Cassie's sister, as she bore a strong resemblance to Cassie herself. The other seven in the outrageous costumes, he did not recognize. Yet, he sensed the immense power coming from all of them, not to mention Cassie and her sister.

Power that for him, was a serious threat to the safety of Earthrealm. Or can be used in its defense.

However, Cassie was trying to flee with her sister, Jax and her former teammates, and that was something that he could not allow.

"That's Raiden?" Wolverine asked.

Kitana nodded. "That's Raiden."

"Hey! Didn't Thor kicked this guy's ass in Death Battle?" Deadpool quipped, pointing at Raiden.

He received no verbal reply. He did, however, received a slap upside his head from Magik. "Ow! Hey! Hostile work environment!"

Raiden looked down at the daughter of his second former champion, his face twisting into a sinister smile. "Welcome home, Cassandra Cage." The power behind his voice made some of the heroes flinch.

Cassie had a look that had defiance mixed with anger on her face. "This isn't my home, Raiden. Not anymore."

"And yet, you are foolish enough to return here. I was expecting your parents to come and play the hero in regards to your sister. No matter. You are the one that I seek."

"So you can turn me into your perfect killing machine? No thanks."

"Hmph," Raiden grunted. "I see that the years away have not taught you to control your tongue. No matter. It shall be something that I shall personally remedy once you are shown the proper path." His gaze fell on Ravenna. "And this must be Ravenna Cage. I can see the resemblance."

"And just as skilled as her elder sister," Shang Tsung said, battered from his run-in with Cassie and her group earlier, emerging from the Red Dragon forces, accompanied by Mileena.

"So what Shang Tsung said is indeed true," Raiden noted. "While it has only been three years here, you and the others were away for nineteen years. More than enough time for you to prepare."

"Can't say that it was fun going through puberty again," Cassie snorted, "but I'm a lot older and wiser then I was a Sergeant."

"That, I find hard to believe," Raiden replied.

Cassie smiled meanly before turning to Daegon and Mavado. "You two really should be thanking me and my parents. We did what no one else failed to do in regards to Kano and his lieutenants."

"While I preferred that it was my clan that was to eliminate the infidels, you have indeed performed a great service," Daegon replied. "But you still have to answer for what you had done to Mavado." He looked at the men. "The men are of no use to us." Then he turned to Hope, Magik and Frost. "The women, on the other hand..."

"And I thought Kano was the sick fuck," Cassie said. "You're no better than he is."

"Given what Kano and his son both had done to Jax's wife, they both had it coming," Simon said. "Those two were not subtle in what they had done to Vera."

"So you know that I ordered Vera Briggs' death," Raiden said. "While Kano's methods were...extreme, Vera's death was necessary. She was asking one too many questions about her husband and daughter." He turned his attention to his first former champion and the former princess. "Liu Kang and Princess Kitana. Alive and cleansed of Shinnok's taint."

"Yet his taint is all but visible on you, Raiden," Liu replied. "Sonya and Johnny were right. You have gone mad."

"Mad? Oh, no. I have been showing restraint for far too long when kombating threats to Earthrealm," Raiden corrected. "Purifing the Jinsei of Shinnok's corruption has...put things in perspective, if you will."

"If you call brainwashing your champions 'putting things in perspective,'" Cap said.

Raiden's eyes turned to Captain America. "You...do you lead this team?"

"No. Cassie is the leader."

"Yet, you have an air of authority around you," Raiden noted. He turned back to Liu and Kitana. "I was willing to allow you to return to my side once Jade had revived you, with all honors restored."

"I've been brainwashed before," the former Shaolin replied. "And died once. Never again."

"A pity that you sided with her..." Raiden paused to point to Cassie, "...and her parents." For once, Raiden showed regret. "Your first death, do I regret, Liu Kang." His face hardened. "I will not show any mercy this time around should you continue down this path."

"Neither will I," Liu replied.

"You gave us no choice," Kitana said. "You declared war on us! You sent Shang Tsung after us and Kano after the Cage family! You killed Jade!"

"I merely gave the order for your extermination," Raiden said. He turned to back to Captain America. "You seem like a man of reason, which is why I have the following offer for you: I will let you and your friends return to your home unharmed, provided that you hand over not only my former champions, but I will leave your home realm unmolested provided that you also surrender Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. But my mercy comes with a price. Your Earthrealm shall pay me tribute in the form of your strongest warriors once every ten years."

"And if I say no?" Cap provoked.

Raiden's lips twisted into another malicious grin. "As I have told Liu Kang and Kitana when they once were the Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm, 'no mercy will be shown, no quarter given.' All threats to Earthrealm shall be destroyed."

"Including those who have no quarrel with you?" Ravenna demanded.

"Better to stop a threat now before it grows and becomes potentially lethal, Ravenna," Raiden replied. "I sense the extraordinary powers coming from within each and every one of you, especially coming from both yourself and Cassandra. If this is what your own realm can bring forth, then it is a threat to Earthrealm."

"You're not better than Shinnok!" Kitana shouted. "You're only finishing what he started by merging the realms! Have you forgotten why the realms were seperated in the first place, you fool?!"

" **SILENCE!** " Raiden boomed, unleashing a torrent of lightning down upon his renegade champions and the group of heroes.

But instead of shocking the rebellions heroes into submission, the blonde girl's sword morphed into an oversized broadsword, which attracted the arcs of lightning onto its glowing blade, much to his surprise.

Then, Magik unleashed the stored energy upon the advancing Red Dragon thugs, knocking them back. Shang and Mileena both dodged the attack.

"Well," Shang noted, "that was impressive." He looked at Magik. "Perhaps I was a bit hasty in ordering your death, Magik. My offer still stands. Join me."

"My answer is still the same as before, Shang," Magik replied. "It's still no."

Raiden began to summon more lightning in his hands. "It matters not. Their lives are in your hands, Cassandra. Surrender now...and I will have them locked in a prison cell in Seido, and know that I am being lenient with them. Surrender to me, and they shall live."

Cassie only took a moment to consider Raiden's offer before giving her reply. "Raiden...go fuck yourself."

Raiden's eyes were alight in fury as he raised his hands. "So be it! What happens to them shall be upon your head!"

It was the second time that Cassie felt a sense of deja vu. The first time was when she fought her brainwashed friends. Now, Raiden was raining down potentially lethal blasts of violent-tinted lightning.

Only this time, Cassie, Hope and Ravenna summoned a dome of psionic energy. The psionic field was reinforced by Kitana and Magik's sorcery.

"If you have an escape plan, now is the time!" Magik shouted.

Cassie turned to Liu. "Liu! The portal stone! Left pocket!"

Meanwhile, Jacqui began to stir.

"Your resistance is futile, Cassandra Cage!" Raiden boomed. "You all shall die here!" He increased the intensity of the lightning. Meanwhile, Shang Tsung and Mileena watched this scene unfold.

Woozy, Jacqui regained consciousness, only to find herself inside a psionic shield, surrounded by Cassie and people she didn't know. Her father and her teammates were still unconscious.

It was then, Jacqui decided to do the one thing that was considered lethal.

Cassie turned around, and saw her brainwashed friend stumble out of the protective field. "Jacqui! NO!"

Several violent arcs of lightning struck various objects, one of which being a half-destroyed car. And Jacqui had stumbled within distance of said car...which still had a half-full tank of gas.

 **BOOM!**

The force of the blast not only stopped Raiden from attempting to shock Cassie's team to death, but it also broke their concentration, the psionic shield shattering.

But that was not the worst part.

While Jacqui was far enough from the blast itself, the explosion had sent several pieces of the car's metal frame, now razor-sharp shrapnel, in her direction. By raising her arms instinctively to protect her face, Jacqui was sent flying backwards towards Cassie and the others, shrapnel shredding her arms to the point that one of them was crudely amputated above the elbow, and the other was hanging on by mere muscle tissue.

"JACQUI!" Cassie screamed in horror as she rushed over to her wounded friend. Kitana, Magik, and Ravenna rushed to her side, "Oh, fuck! Jacqui!" She turned to Kitana and Magik. "She's going into shock! Help her!"

Overhead, Raiden was laughing at Cassie's plight. "Do you see, Cassandra Cage?" Raiden gloated. "I gave you the chance to surrender. Now...you will watch as Jacqueline Briggs dies, and you will know that this was your fault. You may have beaten Shinnok, but you have once again failed you friends. Now, you all shall perish."

But for Cassie and Ravenna, Raiden's voice was far, far away.

' **Make him pay, my chosen vessels,** ' a voice, sounding similar to that of Jean Grey, was whispering inside their heads. But the girls knew that the voice wasn't Jean. ' **Make him pay for what he has done! This offense shall not go unavenged! Avenge your friend! PUNISH HIM!** '

It was Liu who had felt the power first, surging from the two siblings. He had seen the Phoenix Force in action alongside Kitana when the Cage sisters destroyed the Hood's gang. Personally, between facing the might of the Phoenix and becoming a revenant again, the latter was quickly being filed under the 'Wonderful Idea' category.

"Uh-oh..." Liu muttered as he edged away. Kitana sensed the power as well, but she was working on trying to save Jacqui's life. Part of her almost felt sorry for Raiden. Almost.

Wolverine felt it next. He recognize the power of the Phoenix a mile away. It was a terrifying, yet beautiful sight to behold. "You guys might want to back up," he said, inching away.

While Cassandra Carlton Cage took after her father in personality and wit, she had her mother's temper. Some say that it was even worse than Sonya's. It took a lot to piss her off.

Being kidnapped by Osborn and the Hood? Nope. Kano raping and murdering Jacqui's mom? Borderline.

Raiden's maiming of her best friend? That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Raiden turned to Daegon and Mavado. "Bring me the Cage sisters." To Subzero and Scorpion, he added, "Kill the rest."

The Mediterranean warrior bloodline was the main thing keeping the Phoenix in check. It was like a leash that kept the dog from running away. And you'd best step away if the leash broke.

With Jacqui being so horribly injured, the leash had just broke.

Both Cassie and Ravenna snapped their heads towards Raiden. While Ravenna's eyes turned solid white, Cassie's were solid red.

Then, all hell broke loose.

Before the Red Dragon and the two ninja clans could follow through with their respective orders, they were all forcibly flung back, as if a nuclear bomb's blast wave slammed into them, knocking them all backwards. The buildings that the Red Dragon snipers were on had lost their roofing from the immense pressure, the snipers falling into the buildings before they collapsed entirely on their bodies. Only Daegon, Shang Tsung and Mileena kept their footing, if only barely. Subzero had jammed an ice blade into the ground, while Scorpion had done the same with his Spears. Mavado was flung into the side of a truck, the impact knocking him out cold.

Raiden unleashed a torrent of lightning, but Cassie and Ravenna took to the skies, causing his attack to miss, leaving nothing but scorched asphalt. Then, Raiden himself was slammed to the ground with such force that it left an impact crater. His hat was knocked off his head.

Mileena took a step forward, but Shang stopped her.

Now, Cassie and Ravenna had their full attention on the corrupted thunder god while Magik and Kitana tended to Jacqui's injuries. Raiden found himself being raised and slammed into the ground repeatedly. Once, twice, three times. Then he was forcibly lifted into the air and slammed into the chassis of a nearby cargo truck with bone-crushing force.

Raiden teleported out of the path of a second cargo truck that Cassie and Ravenna had flung in his direction, the truck slamming into the first one and erupting in a ball of flame. As he materialized, he was blind-sighted by a steel drum, which caught him full in the face.

Next came the flaming talons. Whenever they connected with Raiden, they singed his clothes and scorched his skin. The black cowl had been burned away, revealing long, white hair, similar to Fujin's own.

Then, as Kitana took the portal stone from Liu and began to chant the incantation that would open the portal, Cassie and Ravenna held Raiden in their grip. Raiden was helpless as he was held in place by the Phoenix's power. For the first time, as he stared into the eyes of Cassie and Ravenna, he felt an emotion that he did not felt in such a long time.

It was the same emotion that he had seen on Kotal Kahn's face before he ended his life.

That emotion was fear.

The massive bird made of cosmic fire that appeared behind them didn't help matters much either.

"What...what are you?!" Raiden gasped.

As one, Cassandra and Ravenna Cage spoke. " **We are fire! We are life incarnate! WE. ARE. PHOENIX!** "

The ear-splitting shriek of the Phoenix was the last thing Raiden heard before the bird dove at him, consuming him in the cosmic fires, his screams fading as the Phoenix flew upward.

Then it came back down, slamming into the same crater Raiden had made earlier. When the flames faded, Raiden had been burnt to a crisp, as he was covered in third-degree burns from head to toe. Only Shinnok's amulet remained unmolested.

Either way, he was going to be spending a very, very long time healing in the Jinsei.

"What power!" Shang gasped.

The Cage siblings floated back down to the ground, and would had collapsed had it not been for Iron Fist catching Ravenna and Simon catching his girlfriend.

"Sweet Christmas," Luke said.

"By the Gods," Panther gasped.

Captain America looked at Cassie warily, still in Simon's arms. "Cassie...?"

Cassie opened her eyes. They were back to normal. "I'm fine, Blue...I'm fine. Get Jacqui." She shrugged herself off of Simon's grip and stalked over to Raiden. Cap did as she asked, and scooped the wounded Jacqui in his arms.

Raiden's charred hand tried to reach upward, but Cassie knocked it to the side, causing a cry of pain from the corrupted thunder god. Behind her, Kitana had finished the incantation, and the portal opened.

Cassie extended her hand over Raiden's smoking form, and Shinnok's amulet rose from its place and into Cassie's hand. "You got Caged," she said. She dangled the amulet over Raiden. "You want this back...? Come and get it." She then produced a folded map and dropped it onto his smoking form. "You wanted this war...you got it. We will finish this on Genosha."

Giving Shang Tsung and Mileena a death glare, Cassie turned on her heels, and stopped upon seeing Mavado attempting to get back to his feet. An evil smirk crept across her face as she used her powers to slam Mavado into the truck yet again, knocking him out cold.

Daegon knew what Cassie was planning. "No!" he shouted...

...only to skid to a halt when Cassie raised Shinnok's amulet at him, crackling with energy. To demonstrate that she was serious, she vaporized two Red Dragon mooks with the amulet. Then, she aimed it at Mavado, the threat clear in Cassie's eyes.

Normally, when someone who wasn't an Elder God used the amulet, it would leave their arm and hand covered in horrific burns and shorten their lifespan. Fortunately for Cassie, she concentrated the powers of the Phoenix through the amulet, leaving her unaffected.

With her free hand, she ensnared Mavado with her telekinesis and flung him through the portal, Cassie herself being the last to leave.

The mission into infiltrating Earthrealm and rescuing not only Ravenna Cage but also Jackson Briggs and the rest of Team S-F was a success.

But it came with a heavy price.

* * *

S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier, over Cage Incorporated...

"So..." Johnny drawled. "General, huh?"

Sonya nodded. "Battlefield promotion."

"You're worried about repeating the same mistakes you did back in Earthrealm?" Johnny asked. When Sonya nodded again, Johnny wrapped his hand around her shoulders. "We split when you made Colonel. You've learned your lesson from the last time."

"I't's not just that," Sonya said. "I'm worried about Cass and Raven."

"Cassie will come back with Ravenna and the others," Johnny said. "She does not like to fail. She's a lot like you...and me in that aspect. On top of that, Liu and Kitana are with her. If there is anyone who I trust with the girls' safety, it's those two. Liu was Raiden's golden boy before I took the job and Kitana was trained by Shao Kahn. Cassie has her boytoy, Cap, Logan, and the others. And there's the trump card..."

'The Phoenix Force,' Sonya thought.

"I made a promise to Cassie when we fled Earthrealm that we would free Jax and her team," Johnny said. "She'll bring Ravenna and the others back. She beat Shinnok when she was just a human and with my bloodline. Imagine the kind of carnage she can do with the Phoenix Force at her call."

Sonya couldn't help but to agree.

The moment between the couple was ruined when warning klaxons begin to blare. "Attention! Portal detected! Location: Main Deck!"

Seconds later, a portal appeared, the energies being a mixture of green and blue. Almost immediately, Maria Hill and Iron Man led a squad of heavily-armed S.H.I.E.L.D. troops, accompanied by several Avengers and X-Men – Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, Cyclops, Emma Frost and Magneto.

' **Hold your fire!** ' Cassie's voice rang in her parents' mind. ' **It's us!** '

Sonya turned to Iron Man and Maria. "It's Cassie and her team! Hold your fire!"

Iron Man, Maria and the S.H.I.E.L.D. forces lowered their weapons. But they kept them at the ready just in case. Johnny looked at his watch. Cassie and the others had been gone for only five minutes.

From the shimmering mass of green energy, Ravenna Cage emerged alongside her sister, who had an unconscious Mavado with her. She flung him to the ground.

Johnny and Sonya both caught the grim looks on their daughters' faces, the joy of seeing both their daughters alive now being replaced with dread.

Captain America confirmed it moments later when he emerged from the portal, carrying a horribly wounded Jacqui. The dread soon gave way to horror as Johnny and Sonya saw that Jacqui had lost one of her arms while the other was horribly mangled. "MEDIC! I NEED A MEDIC!" the First Avenger bellowed.

Iron Man sprang into action. "This is Stark! Prep the O.R.! We have an emergency incoming! Now!"

As Cap and Maria rushed into the command center, the others that went with Cassie emerged from the portal. Simon Williams had Kung Jin slung over one shoulder, while Luke had Jax in the same position. Takeda was carried by Liu Kang, with Kitana by his side. Magik and Hope were next to emerge, followed by a battered Black Panther, Wolverine and a barely winded Deadpool.

What surprised Johnny and Sonya was that Frost was among the group, looking just as battered as the rest of the team. Johnny and Sonya both recognized Subzero's pupil instantly. After all, while Frost had no love for Cassie in the past, the same can be said in regards to her parents.

Sonya moved to raise her gauntlet, but Cassie's hand on her wrist stopped her. "It's okay, Mom. She's with us. I checked her out myself. She's clean."

"I can vouch for Cassie," Logan seconded. He pointed to Frost. "She saved both me an' Cap."

Sonya relented. She turned to her daughter. "Explain."

Of course, for Cassie, that meant, giving both parents a mental replay of the mission via telepathy. It was faster and after all, memories don't lie.

Sonya decided to drop it for the moment. "I want a full debrief within the hour," she said. She then pointed to Shinnok's Amulet. "And see if Strange can seal that damn thing away."

"General, what's to be done with them?" Iron Man asked, in regards to Jax, Takeda and Jin.

"Restrain them," she ordered. To Strange, she asked, "Can you purge the corruption from their bodies?"

Strange nodded. "Of course." To Magik, he said, "I will need your help with this."

Magik only nodded.

Iron Man pointed to the unconscious Mavado. "And him?"

"Lockup," Cassie replied. "He's the second-in-command of the Red Dragon, and very hard to kill. I know this because I killed him once."

Iron Man nodded.

While the others and their unconscious charges headed for the Helicarrier, Johnny and Sonya stopped Liu and Kitana. Before Johnny could say anything, Sonya had beaten him to it. "Thank you. For protecting Cassie and bringing Ravenna back safe."

Liu simply nodded. To Johnny, he said, "We're even now, Cage."

No further words were said between the former champions as they walked towards the command tower.

* * *

Hours passed.

Following the after-mission briefing, Cassie Cage sat outside the operating room, where Jacqui was undergoing emergency surgery to remove any pieces of shrapnel and hopefully, save her other arm. Had it been anyone else, they would have been killed. But Cassie knew her friend better than anyone else.

The newly-minted captain was seated in front of the operating room, looking at the photo of herself and her teammates. She had done her job. She had rescued her sister, Jax and her former teammates. But the trade-off was that her best friend, her sister in all but blood, was fighting for her life.

She looked at the photo of Team S-F, her good luck charm. She had always carried it with her, a reminder of her father's promise to return to Earthrealm to bring her friends back.

"Anything?"

Cassie looked up. Captain America stood over her, his mask removed, allowing her to see his face. The blonde Cage shook her head. "Nothing. Jacqui's still in surgery."

Cap took the seat next to her. "It's really been that long since you've seen your friend?"

Cassie nodded. "Been three years for them. Nineteen years for me and my parents."

"I can sympathize. Being out of your comfort zone. I thought I was the only one who held the title of 'The Man Out of Time.'"

"You didn't come to wax nostalgic with me, Steve," Cassie said.

"Straight to the point. You're definitely Sonya's daughter," Cap said. "I was very impressed with how you handled yourself during the rescue mission. Those who know me know can tell you that I'm a very hard man to impress."

"You already know that I can lead a team," Cassie replied.

"True. But seeing you in action, making judgment calls on the fly, that's entirely different. You have what it takes to join us." Cap raised a hand, silencing Cassie. "But not as a full-time Avenger or a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. I know your loyalties lie with your mother and Special Forces, which is why I have a proposal, one which Maria herself approved of. You become a liaison to S.H.I.E.L.D., representing the Tactical Response Unit as a military consultant. You're also highly skilled in troubleshooting certain problems, of which we can use you for more delicate operations. Only difference is that you'll take orders from me. The job will last for a year, after which you can choose to return back to General Blade or sign on for another year. This way, we can also monitor you to make sure that the Phoenix is no longer a threat."

"..." Cassie was silent. Then, she asked, "And Ravenna?"

Cap sighed. "I'm willing to compromise with Summers. You go with us, and Ravenna remains in Utopia under Summers' supervision. This way, we can both keep an eye on both you and your sister. Think about it, and let me know, okay?"

Cassie nodded. Then she looked up. Her parents, along with Liu and Kitana were approaching. At the same time, the lead surgeon emerged from the operating room.

"How is she?" Sonya asked.

"She'll live," the lead surgeon replied. "But her remaining arm couldn't be saved. We had to amputate it at the shoulder along with what remained of the other one."

Cassie closed her eyes. Liu, Kitana, Johnny and Sonya recognized the look on her face. The look of guilt, mixed with failure. Johnny quickly produced his phone and chose a contact. "Amadeus."

"Yes, Chairman?"

"I need the bionic implants."

The guilt that was inside Cassie was replaced with a spark of hope.

"Which ones, boss?"

"The arms. Female. I need them now. Captain America will send someone to retrieve them."

"They will be ready, boss."

Johnny ended the call. Turning to Sonya, he said, "Jacqui's family. And we look out after our own."

"But the prototypes, Johnny?"

"Jax's bionics were prototypes when he got them, remember. We've made improvements," Johnny explained. "Jacqui's not getting the prototypes. She's getting the best. They're the ultimate advancements in Cage Inc. technology, combining the best in S-F and Lin Kuei tech."

"Improvements how?" Sonya asked.

Johnny gestured to Cap. "We discovered the formula used by Dr. MacLain which designed his shield. And we've preserved a good quantity of the Vibranium we've recovered from the fallen meteorite, allowing us to replicate the metal. I sent you the data on the implants, remember? You signed off on them. Plus, I had Forge look over the schematics, and he made improvements on them. As I've said before...Jacqui's family."

Cassie yawned and rubbed her eyes. "So what now?"

"Liu and I are going to try and get the Elder Gods to help us," Johnny replied. "Kitana and Sonya's gonna stay here with Jax and the others." He then added after seeing Cassie yawn, "You need to rest, Cass."

"I can't," Cassie replied. "Every time I sleep, I end up reliving what I did to Shujinko. And the nightmares get worse every time. My powers can't block out the memories of what I've done."

"You have to face your demons and put them to rest."

Cassie looked at Kitana.

"I know what you're going through, Cassandra," Kitana said in a sympathetic tone. "I, too, am haunted by what I've done during my time in Outworld and as a revenant in the Netherrealm. I've made my peace with my past. Now, its your turn."

"If you don't conquer them," Liu added in a sage-like tone, "then the life of a hundred years is a tragedy. But if you do, then the life of a single day can be a triumph."

"I thought you quit being a Shaolin," Cassie sniped.

"I did." He looked at Johnny. "But an annoying buffoon occasionally gives out some useful advice." He turned back to Cassie. "Even though I am a Shaolin no longer, it doesn't mean that I that I still follow the teachings. Cassie...you've defeated Shinnok to save not only Earthrealm, but your father's life. But even this can be the greatest of challenges."

"You make it sound like I don't have a choice," Cassie said.

"You don't," Kitana said as her eyes began to glow a soft white color. " **Sleep.** "

Cassie's eyes rolled in the back of her head before they fluttered shut. She slumped forward in her seat, unconscious.

"What did you do?" Sonya asked in alarm.

"A sleeping spell," Kitana explained. "She'll be out of it for a while. Hopefully, when she awakens, she has put her demons to rest." She turned to Captain America. "Commander Rogers, is there a place where we can put her until she recovers?"

"In the meantime, Johnny and I will try and get the Elder Gods to come to our aid," Liu said. "Maybe with Fujin imprisoned and Shang Tsung running loose, they will do something."

"I highly doubt that," Sonya said. "By the time the Elder Gods did something, Sindel butchered most of us and Raiden killed you. Only when the realms themselves are threatened, will they do something."

"Still, we gotta try," Johnny said.

Cap, in the meantime, picked Cassie up and carried her into the medical room that was currently occupied by Jax. The bionic-armed man was still unconscious, and for his and the others' safety, restrained.

He laid the unconscious Cage in the empty bed and gave Stark the order to retrieve the prototype implants from Cage Incorporated.

* * *

Within Cassie's subconscious...

Cassie's eyes opened. Assuming a sitting position, she noticed that she was in her old Special Forces-issued bodysuit, complete with the yellow gloves and the custom-made, steel-toed combat boots. She had abandoned this costume after narrowly avoiding a Lin Kuei ambush when she decided to flee rather than report to the Sky Temple.

As an afterthought, she reached around and behind her head. The undercut was there, her hair tied into a bun. Fighting the urge not to groan in annoyance, she got back to her feet. After looking around her surroundings, she recognized where she was, the dread inside her now growing.

As she cautiously entered the temple, she saw the kneeling form of the old man who has haunted her dreams for the past nineteen years.

Shujinko.

"I have been expecting you for a long time, Cassandra Cage," Shujinko greeted as he slowly rose from his position on the floor, and turned around...

...only for Cassie to grab him and slam him into the wall.

"Nineteen years! Nineteen fucking years you've haunted my dreams!" Cassie screamed. "Do you know what your death has done to me?! The guilt...it's eating me alive..."

Her energy and rage drained, Cassie released him. "Why?"

"I'm...I'm sorry," Shujinko apologized. "Not even I did not know what has happened until recently. Somehow, a portion of my soul was trapped within your subconscious, which is why I have haunted your dreams. For that, I take full responsibility."

"You...you could have said something..." Cassie lamented.

"Would you have listened to me?" Shujinko replied. "Raiden had poisoned your mind following your victory over Shinnok. He used your naivete to goad you into killing me." He sat down next to her. "There is a lot more to this story, Cassandra. More than you ever know. To tell you the truth, I was surprised that Raiden had sent you, rather than to come and do the deed himself."

"He...he said that you were a 'soul-stealer,'" Cassie said.

"Not exactly. I have the ability to duplicate and copy various techniques," Shujinko admitted. "A gift bestowed upon me by Onaga."

Cassie looked at him. "The Dragon King?"

"So you heard about him?"

"Bits and pieces. He ran Outworld before Shao Kahn killed him and took over. His army was said to be unbeatable in battle. In truth, he was only unbeatable because of his ability to revive the dead."

Shujinko ruefully smiled. "Tell me, Cassandra...what do you know about the original timeline?"

"Quite a bit from my parents," Cassie replied. "Dad died during the Outworld Invasion, but he was revived by Raiden. Then Liu Kang was killed by the Deadly Alliance, followed by Mom, Dad, Uncle Jax, Kitana and Kung Lao. Then they were revived by Onaga. By the time they were freed from Onaga, Armageddon was inevitable. My parents were among those killed in the final battle, and Earthrealm was destroyed."

"That's about the gist of it," Shujinko said. "But there is more to the story. I was tricked into freeing Onaga from his prison. When Raiden reset the timeline, that alone absolved me of my guilt. But...it was not meant to be. Does the name Havik ring a bell?"

Cassie shuddered. "The Blood Code..."

Shujinko nodded. "I was the protector of the Earthrealm Kamidogu. Havik came to me, seduced me with its power, saying that Raiden was unable to protect Earthrealm. In the end, my actions resulted in the near-death of Grandmaster Hasashi, and your corruption alongside your parents and friend." Shujinko sighed. "I wanted to die for a long time, because of my actions, which nearly led to Earthrealm's destruction, Cassandra."

"But you couldn't go through with it," Cassie surmised. "You couldn't kill yourself."

"Yes. That day, when you came, demanding if I was the 'soul-stealer,' I knew. I knew that you was there to kill me. I just didn't expect...this to happen, for me to cause so much anguish to you. And for that, I am truly sorry, Cassandra. My death was not your fault."

"I know. Raiden lied to me," Cassie said. "You've haunted my dreams for nineteen years."

Shujinko sighed. "I know. I don't blame you for what you have done, Cassandra. You were just as much of a pawn as I was. In a way, you had freed me from my torment, but at the cost of your sanity. Now, I shall do the same to you. You seek redemption and absolution for your crimes. I shall grant it." He placed one hand on her shoulder. "Everyday is a gift, Cassandra Cage. Live it well."

"Thank you," Cassie said, feeling grateful.

"To show you that I am sincere, I wish to bestow a gift upon you," Shujinko said. He placed one hand on Cassie's forehead, his eyes glowing bright for a moment before turning back to normal. "Your mutant powers are...unique, to say the least. Which is why I have granted you the ability to open portals. Before you ask, no, you cannot open them to Earthrealm, only in your new home." He took several steps back. "And now, it's time for you to go. We will not meet again."

Seconds later, Cassie found herself consumed in the light.

* * *

It was morning when Cassie Cage awoke, the sleeping spell that Kitana had placed on her had finally wore off. She turned to her left. Jax was gone.

"Your mom had him moved to the medical bay on the ground. He was still out of it when they moved him."

Cassie turned to the source of the voice. Her boyfriend was seated in a chair, watching over her and Jax. "Simon?"

"I'm wearing his underwear, so yeah, it's me," her boyfriend quipped. He stood up, walked over to her, and sat down on the bed next to her. "It's nine in the morning. Your parents told me what had happened. So...how are you feeling?"

Cassie took a deep breath. "Better. Much better. Anything happen while I was out?"

"The guys we brought back from Earthrealm? Magik and Doc Strange purged them of Raiden's corruption. Your friend's getting fitted with her new arms," Simon replied. "Jax is still out cold, as is the other two. They're gonna be out cold for the next two days or so."

"And Frost?"

"She's been cleared, after Cap and Logan vouched for her alongside Liu and Kitana. She's under house arrest onboard the Helicarrier, but can move around with a guard. Right now, she's sleeping." He regarded his girlfriend for a long moment. "You are really something, Cassandra Cage."

"You mean about the part about me beating up a fallen Elder God and saving my dad and the world?" Cassie guessed. "And this was me before I became a mutant."

"Among many things about you. Guess that explains why you wasn't impressed with me being an actor. You grew up with one for a dad. And I thought I was the complicated one. You won that battle hands down."

Cassie smiled and gave Simon a peck on the lips. "Smart boy," she replied.

"I try."

Cassie chuckled. "You sound a lot like Dad. Then again, I'm a lot like Mom in some cases."

"Aside the fact that I'm an actor-slash-superhero and you're Miss Military?"

"History repeats itself, it seems," Cassie replied, looking into Simon's red eyes. She then noticed the duffel bag near Simon's chair.

Simon followed Cassie's glance. "Oh, right. Some fresh clothes, thanks to your mom. Your parents wanted me to escort you to the bridge once you woke up. There's been a development."

* * *

On the bridge...

They were at it again, Cassie realized as she and Simon entered the Helicarrier's bridge. Her parents were arguing while Liu and Kitana looked on, both with bemused looks on their faces, as were Stark and Cap, their expressions matching those of Liu and Kitana's own.

"No."

"Sonya..."

"I said no, Johnny."

"Sonya, you didn't let me finish."

"It's a bad idea."

"What's a bad idea?" Cassie asked, making her presence known.

"Liu and I just came back from a meeting with the Elder Gods," her father explained. He jerked a thumb over to Sonya. "Your charming mother has been busy explaining Kano's attack to the top brass and Raiden's threat to the realm. Of course, she kept out the more important details such as why Raiden is attacking and our origins."

"So we're on a war footing."

Johnny nodded. "Statin' the obvious, Punkin. How are you feeling?"

"Better. A lot better. The guilt is gone. Maybe when all this is over, I can finally sleep without waking up screaming in the middle of the night."

"That's good to hear," Sonya said.

Cassie turned to Kitana. "I guess I should thank you for what you did. Shujinko absolved me of my crimes."

Kitana nodded. "You're welcome, child."

Cassie looked around. "Where's Ravenna?"

"With Hope and Magik," Stark replied. "Cap told me about what had happened back in Earthrealm. I take it you heard about Jacqui?"

"She's still in surgery, I know."

"Actually, she's out of surgery," Stark corrected. "The implants has been successfully grafted on. She's resting down at Cage Inc's medical bay, as per your dad's orders. Takeda and Jin both have also been moved there as well, along with Jax."

"Yeah, Simon told me that. And Mavado?"

"Lockup – Level 5," Cap replied. "Something we developed for The Hulk in case he went nuts. But it's effective in keeping Mavado locked up."

"Okay..." Cassie turned back to her parents. "Back to the both of you. What exactly is this 'bad idea' that got you riled up?"

Sonya glared at her husband, her expression reading, 'Tell her.'

Johnny sighed. "As I stated earlier, Liu and I just returned from our meeting with the Elder Gods."

"And just as before, they would prefer to just sit with their thumbs up their asses," Liu added. He snorted in derision. "You'd think that they would learn their lesson the last time something like this happened."

"Only when Liu mentioned Shang Tsung and Raiden's eminent invasion of this planet did the Elder Gods decided to give Liu and I a proposal," Johnny continued.

"Which is...?" Cassie prods.

"Help in kombating Raiden and his forces," the Cage patriarch replied. "It the help in question which has your mom...well, not too happy."

"Who?" When her father was slow to respond, all Cassie had to do was to probe into his mind. Her eyes widened. "No...no fucking way! Not...them!"

Johnny nodded. "Yup. Them." He raised one hand, silencing his daughter. "As I was trying to explain to your mother before she cut me off, I'm not going to ask for their help." He pointed to Liu and Kitana. "They are."

"Who exactly are we talking about?" Stark asked.

"The revenants," Kitana replied. "Liu and I are going to the Netherrealm."

"You mean the guys you fought with, died and transformed into undead slaves of Quan Chi?" Cap inquired.

"The same," Johnny replied. "If I went with the Elder Gods' proposal, they would probably try and kill me. Again." He gestured to Liu and Kitana. "But if the former Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm decided to pay their old friends a visit, then they would be more welcome to the Elder Gods' offer, and less inclined to try and kill the both of them."

"But we're on a time limit," Liu said. "According to the Elder Gods, Raiden will need at least two months Earthrealm time in the Jinsei to fully recover from his injuries."

"Meaning that we have eighteen days," Johnny finished.

"A little over weeks..." Stark lulls. "That's pushing it." He turned to Johnny and Sonya. "I hope you got another trick up your sleeves."

"We got a couple saved for a rainy day," Johnny replied. He turned to Liu and Kitana. "But you two lovebirds better be on your way. Good luck."

Liu sighed. "We're definitely gonna need it," he replied as he and Kitana made their exit.

Liu and Kitana had swore never to return to the Netherrealm. Now, they were returning in order to get the help of their former comrades.


	30. 20: Return To The Netherrealm

**Chapter Twenty: Liu and Kitana's Mission – Return to the Netherrealm**

Snafu's Notes: Again with the long-ass chapter. The ending to this chapter was something I thought up at the last minute. You will not see this coming.

The Nexus, some hours earlier...

The Nexus – a plane of existence that served as the central hub for the various realms under the Elder Gods' jurisdiction. Created by the Elder Gods in order to provide aid to their chosen champion, it was a simple design; a platform in the shape of a circle, made out of stone. Torch pillars, also made of stone, bordered the platform, hovering in the air amongst the clouds.

It had been years since both Liu Kang and Johnny Cage had been here. As both were formerly Raiden's champions, gaining access was not a problem. And now, they both had returned, in order to ask the Elder Gods for aid in their war against Raiden.

"The last time I was here," Liu mused, "our friends were being slaughtered by Sindel."

Johnny shuddered. "Please, don't remind me. I still have nightmares over that."

"You blame her over what had happened?"

"I blame myself for not doing anymore to stop her. I managed to stop a rampaging Elder God with nothing but my inborn powers, yet I got my ass handed to me by Kitana's mama."

"She was empowered by Shang Tsung's soul, not to mention the other souls that he had consumed over the years," Liu replied. "Had you tried any harder, then you would had been a revenant, and Cassandra would not exist."

Johnny sighed. "I know." After a pause, Johnny continued, "You do realize that Sonya's right? Twenty bucks says that the Elder Gods do nothing to stop Raiden. Probably say that he didn't break the rules of Mortal Kombat or some crap."

Liu rolled his eyes, all the while muttering in Cantonese, before saying in English, "You're on."

The two former champions didn't have to wait long for the emergence of the Elder Gods. Six in total, all of varying genders and appearance, towering over Johnny and Liu Kang in spirit form.

Johnny and Liu took a step forward, then bowed in reverence. Since Liu was still sore about what had happened the last time he visited the Elder Gods, Johnny spoke for the both of them. "Honored Elder Gods, we have come asking for your aid in stopping Raiden. He has declared was on our home, and will stop at nothing to not only eliminate myself, but also my wife, Liu Kang, Princess Kitana, and to enslave my daughters to his will."

As one, the Elder Gods replied, " **We are aware of your family's plight, Johnny Cage, as well as th** **at** **of Liu Kang and Princess Kitana.** "

"Then will you intervene on our behalf?" Johnny asked.

" **We cannot. Raiden has not violated the rules of Mortal Kombat.** "

Giving Liu a side glance, Johnny muttered, "You owe me twenty bucks."

Liu groaned. He took a step forward. "Honored Elder Gods, this is not Mortal Kombat. This is an invasion, plain and simple. As a former revenant of the Netherrealm, I should know. Raiden has become corrupted following his cleansing of the Jinsei, and seeks to destroy anything and everyone he perceives as a threat, including those who are innocent."

" **The invasion of your realm is not itself a transgression...** " the Elder Gods replied.

"Yes, I know," Liu cut them off, getting angrier by the minute, "'only the merger of realms that is proscribed.' I've heard all of this before. If you don't stop Raiden now, people will die. We went through this years ago, and you stood by as most of my comrades were slain. Raiden does not seek to conquer, but to destroy."

" **It is regrettable.** "

Liu was about to let loose with an angry retort when Johnny grabbed his shoulder. "Liu, calm down. We're on our own from here on out. Big surprise."

"I'm not surprised," Liu replied as he calmed down. To the Elder Gods, he said, "You stood aside when Sindel murdered my comrades. You did nothing when Raiden ordered the murder of Jax's wife. I thought at least you would stop Raiden from attacking our home. I guess I was wrong. Perhaps Shao Kahn was right about all of you. You act as dragons, but are instead toothless worms. You only intervene when your power is threatened."

" **Be mindful of your tone, Liu Kang,** " the Elder Gods warned.

Johnny waved them off. "We can handle Raiden. Thanks for nothing." Then, to make sure that they could hear, he said in a loud tone, "Honestly, I'd be more concerned about Shang Tsung in cahoots with the walking lightning rod."

As Johnny reached for the portal stone in his pocket, he was certain that line about Shang Tsung would get their attention.

" **Wait.** "

He was right. Liu saw the ghost of a smirk on Johnny's face before it vanished. The two former champions turned around. Now the Elder Gods were concerned. "I'm sorry, you want something?" Johnny asked. "'Cause you guys said that you can't interfere."

The Elder Gods ignored Johnny's barb. They turned to Liu. " **Shang Tsung lives?** " they asked.

Liu nodded. "As I live and breathe. Shang Tsung led the attack on my people. Jade was killed by his hand. She died honoring her oath for Kitana."

If the Elder Gods were skeptical of Liu's claims, his memories of his past encounters with Shang Tsung – from the attack on the Red Lotus to the mission into Earthrealm – was all the proof needed.

" **This...is disturbing,** " the Elder Gods said. " **We must confer.** "

The Elder Gods' spirit forms disappear, leaving Johnny and Liu alone. "You took a big risk in letting them know that Shang Tsung was alive," Liu said.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "No risk, no reward."

"A well-calculated risk. You never cease to amaze me, Cage."

"I thought that in all the years we've known each other, I was out of surprises. Kinda ironic that they won't do anything about Raiden, yet they shit their pants when I mentioned Shang Tsung," Johnny noted.

Liu nodded. "The Elder Gods were actually relieved upon finding out about his demise, according to Shinnok. But to have pulled the wool over their eyes and hide for so very long...to them, the sorcerer is a much more dangerous threat than Raiden."

"Especially if he's going for Shinnok's Amulet, if what Cassie says is true," Johnny noted. Said amulet was in the possession of Doctor Strange. He had hoped that both he and Magik have a better time of sealing it away, or at least place enough wards on the damn thing to keep it out of the bad guys' hands.

Liu's comment died on his tongue when the Elder Gods reappeared.

" **This revelation is...disturbing, to say the least,** " the Elder Gods said. " **While we cannot directly interfere with Raiden's ambition, we agree that he must be stopped. For the both of you, we can offer you aid of a different kind.** "

Liu and Johnny exchanged glances. "What kind of aid?" the former asked.

" **We aided Cassandra Cage in her flight from Earthrealm in her mission to rescue her sister and the others,** " the Elder Gods replied, " **Now, we extend that to you. While Raiden will take at least two months Earthrealm time to recover, your realm will have eighteen days.** "

"We're listening," Liu replied.

* * *

The Sky Temple – the Jinsei Chamber, minutes after the confrontation in Macau...

If Kabal had seen the state Raiden was in, he would had said that being immolated by Kintaro looked merciful compared to what Cassie and Ravenna had put the dark thunder god through.

Suffice to say, Raiden had been burned to a crisp. His body writhed in pain as it floated in the Jinsei, having been brought back to the Sky Temple by Subzero, Shang Tsung and Scorpion. For Raiden, it would be a long, painful recovery in the Jinsei. He was burned from head to toe, his lips seared off, teeth clenched in pain, the cartilage on his nose having been melted off.

Even as he remembered the confrontation between Raiden and the rescue team lead by Cassandra Cage, the power that she wielded had sent chills down even his own spine. The cosmic fires burned even hotter than those of the hellfire that Hanzo himself wielded. Unfortunately, Raiden himself can attest to that.

'The Phoenix...' Shang thought.

"I always thought those were children's tales," Daegon said as he stood alongside Shang. Anger was evident on his face. He did not like to fail, and seeing Mavado being kidnapped before his very eyes all but infuriated the demigod. "The legends of the Phoenix...a cosmic entity that is the embodiment of life and death. One whose powers dwarf even those of the Elder Gods themselves."

"You know about that?" Shang asked.

"Tales that Mother once told to me and Taven," Daegon replied. "I never thought that it actually exist. And to think that both Cassandra and Ravenna Cage wield that kind of power..."

"Such power can rival that of Lord Raiden, if not greater," Shang said. "It seems we have underestimated the resolve of Raiden's former champions."

"What we knew about them no longer applies," Daegon said. "How long will he remain there?"

"Until he fully heals? Two months at the most," Shang replied.

Daegon nodded. "We can assume that capturing the Cage sisters is no longer an option." He grinned evilly. "Which means that all bets are off. Now, I can go after Cassandra Cage without consequence."

"Have a care, Daegon," Shang warned. "I have seen their realm's warriors in battle. They will not go down without a fight."

"This is not a fight, sorcerer," Daegon replied. "This is not even a war. This is an extermination. You would be wise to remember that."

Daegon stormed out of the Jinsei Chamber to make his preparations. Behind him, Shang Tsung merely smiled.

* * *

The Netherrealm.

It had been a morbid homecoming for the former Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm.

The first thing that Liu and Kitana both realized upon entering their old stomping grounds was the heat. It was just as hot as it was when they had been kidnapped by Jade all those years ago.

Liu realized that the heat didn't bother him mainly because he was a revenant in Quan Chi's 'service.' Kitana was coming to the same realization. In a way, after spending so many years away, it was like coming home, in a sense. Then again, the Netherrealm wasn't truly their home.

Liu remembered his first day in the Netherrealm all too well. His soul captured and enslaved by Quan Chi, the necromancer twisting his mind into becoming his slave, as he had done with Kitana and the others. With Quan Chi dead and Shinnok incapacitated, their minds had been freed of the curse. But the revenants rightfully blamed Raiden for their deaths, whereas Liu's had been by accident, but Liu blamed Raiden for his inability to lead while Shao Kahn took the gloves off, resulting in their deaths.

Following the meeting with the Elder Gods, it had been decided that both Liu and Kitana would venture into the Netherrealm, while Johnny remained behind. There was still too much old wounds between Johnny and his former allies. That and more than likely, the revenants would probably attack Johnny on sight should he went instead. Hence, the reason why both Liu and Kitana were here.

The former rulers stood at the Krossroads, looking over the hellish landscape. Funny how things came back full circle for the both of them. It was here that Jade abducted them and before that, General Blade had launched her ambush on Quan Chi and the revenants, led by Kenshi and Jax, of which both Liu and Kitana had fell to the former.

Before heading to the Netherrealm, they made a quick stop at the Red Lotus temple to tell their followers that they had visitors coming in the next few hours, and to send a squad of Red Lotus to Japan on a personal mission at her request. Kitana also took the time out to change out of her leather-and-steel uniform and into something a bit more practical; her standard Red Lotus uniform (i.e., her Tournament costume from MKX with mask), while Liu kept his normal attire on. Both had on hooded cloaks, the hoods drawn back for the moment.

Getting to the Netherrealm was easy. As their souls were already corrupt from their past as revenants, access was easy. Now, comes the hard part.

Both Liu and Kitana still had nightmares over what they had done in the Netherrealm. The crimes they had committed in Shinnok's name. Now, they had returned to free their comrades who were under siege by the resurgent Brotherhood of the Shadow, led by Bi-Han, or Noob Saibot as he fashioned himself, with two of Quan Chi's former enforcers, Jataaka and Kia, as his enforcers.. According to the Elder Gods, Sareena had attempted to warn the revenants of the impending attack, but was thrown in a prison cell underneath the Netherrealm Fortress.

So far, the revenants had given a good account of themselves, repelling the Brotherhood's attacks. But time - and luck - was running out.

Kitana was the first to break the silence between the pair. "You do realize that Sonya was right. Had the roles been reversed, then I would had reacted the same way."

Liu knew what she was talking about. "I know. Can't really blame her for reacting to the news."

Kitana humorlessly chuckled. "We kidnapped her husband at Shinnok's orders upon his release from the amulet, and we left Cassandra and her team half-dead at the Sky Temple." She had a worried look on her face. "Do you think that Mother and the others will agree to the Elder Gods' terms?"

"If you had to choose between their offer and the threat of obliteration, the former looks very attractive. But we won't know if we try."

The pair began to make the trip up the pathway leading to the Netherrealm Fortress, the hoods now covering their faces. Originally Shinnok's Fortress before his being reduced to a head, Liu and Kitana moved in and claimed it as their own. Quan Chi's fortress had been destroyed in the fighting between the revenants and the Brotherhood as a precaution by Nightwolf, just in case the revenant spell used by Quan Chi was still active. Even as a revenant, Liu hated Quan Chi's fortress. Hell, he hated Quan Chi, but despised Raiden more for killing him.

Liu noticed the apprehension on Kitana's face. "You okay?"

"It's been a long time since we've been here," Kitana said. "Despite everything that has happened...I miss them."

She looked down, and saw that Liu was holding her hand. "Me too," he admitted. "At least now, we can see the others again."

Behind her mask, Kitana smiled. It was always the little things that made her smile. Despite her upbringing as a princess, Kitana enjoyed the simple things in life.

Walking up the rocky path that once led to their home, Liu stopped, as did Kitana. Kitana was about to ask why he stopped when she felt their presence. While they were revenants no longer, that didn't mean that they couldn't sense the presence of the others.

And two of them were close. Real close. And if they knew anything about being undead, they can sense them as well.

The unmistakable sound of live steel, combined with the sound of a handgun slide jacking a round in the chamber of a gun was heard behind them.

"Don't move. Both of you." The voice, while slightly distorted due to the person in question being a revenant, was authoritative, like the police officer that he once was in life.

The voice came from behind them. Of course Liu and Kitana knew they were there. They just wanted to get the both of them to come up close.

"Turn around," the second voice was filtered due to the respirator he wore. "Slowly."

Liu and Kitana complied. Sure enough, their assumption was right on the money. An undead cop, with slate-gray skin and yellow veins popping out of the arms and face, still clad in the garb of the police force's S.W.A.T., dual handguns in his hands, and his partner, a reformed Black Dragon-turned-cop, his body covered from head to toe in horrific burns, yet in the same state as his partner, forced to rely on a respirator. Which, in itself was hilairious as he no longer needed it. In his hands, were a pair of hookswords, his signature weapons.

Kurtis Stryker and Kabal.

"Identify yourselves," Stryker barked. "And for your sake, you better not be part of the Brotherhood."

Liu removed his hood, while Kitana did the same. "Recognize us now?" Liu asked.

Stryker's reddish-golden eyes widened, as did Kabal's own behind his mask. "It...it can't be!" Kabal gasped. "It's a trick!"

"It's no trick," Kitana confirmed. "It's truly us. Back from the dead...literally."

"Lower your weapons," Liu ordered. "Both of you. We're not your enemies."

Stryker holstered his guns, while Kabal secured his swords. Stryker looked at the former Emperor. "You've...you..."

"Look older?" Liu guessed, amused. Stryker nodded. "Yeah, being away for nearly twenty years has that effect on me."

"But you've been gone for three years," Kabal rebuked.

"It's a long story," Kitana said. "And we'd rather explain it once we're all assembled. What are you to doing out here, anyway?"

"Recon," Stryker explained. "After you two were kidnapped, Lao and Sindel took over running the realm. But somehow, the Brotherhood caught wind that you two were gone and we've been attacked almost non-stop. Noob Saibot's been leading the charge against us. Nightwolf ordered us to do a little spying on the enemy camp. We were on our way there when we ran into the both of you."

"So Bi-Han's crawled out of whatever hole he's been hiding," Liu mused. "I'm not surprised. He wouldn't had done it had I still been here."

"Bi-Han? That's his real name?" Kabal asked.

"Was," Kitana replied. "He's Kuai Liang's elder brother – the first Subzero."

"Oh." both Kabal and Stryker nodded in unison. For a brief time, the second Subzero was a revenant until he was freed along with Jax and Scorpion.

Any further questions that the revenants had for the former Emperor and Empress died on their tongues as they heard explosions in the distance. From their position, smoke began to rise from the Netherrealm Fortress, along with the odd bolt of lightning and energy blast. The former rulers and the two revenants even stepped aside as Kung Lao's hat whizzed by, the end result of a missed throw.

"Let's go!" Liu shouted as he and Kitana btoke into a run, with Kabal and Stryker chasing after them, all four of them hoping that they were not too late to stop the Brotherhood's latest attack on the fortress, Liu and Kitana quickly securing the hoods over their faces.

* * *

Inside the Fortress' courtyard, the revenants were defending their home against the invading forces of the Brotherhood of the Shadow.

The bones of a second Oni warrior clattered to the ground, smoke rising from its remains as Enenra reappeared. His hand lashed out at another Oni warrior, Enenra ripping out its throat, blackened blood splashing on his dark armor.

Wielding energy tomahawks as corrupted as his undead form, Nightwolf slashed the throat of two Brotherhood mooks, before jamming the deadly weapons into the skulls of two more, followed by sending an attacking group flying with a bolt of lightning. Noob Saibot had chosen the perfect time to attack, when the revenants were not at full strength.

Nightwolf swore in Lakotan. The Brotherhood had waited until Stryker and Kabal were sent out to recon to attack. Divide and conquer. They had been lucky so far in repelling the Brotherhood's attacks. But now, with Stryker and Kabal out (and possibly caught in an ambush), Nightwolf was seriously regretting not listening to Sareena's warnings about the Brotherhood's war on the revenants.

Suffice to say, this was not going to be the revenants' finest hour.

But if this was their last fight, then they would make Noob Saibot earn his right to rule the Netherrealm.

* * *

With Kung Lao and Sindel...

Sindel used her hair to ensnare an attacking Brotherhood and fling him to several of his comrades. A second Netherrealm ended up with his brains blown out of his skull, the end result of Sindel screaming into his face. Two more Oni fell to the ground, smoking holes in the chests from Sindel's fireballs. Meanwhile, an Oni warrior fell to the ground, a razor-rimmed hat embedded in its skull. Kung Lao retrieved it and teleported out of the way of an attacking Brotherhood mook, kicking him in the back of the head, snapping its neck.

However, this left him exposed as the wooden shaft of a Brotherhood's naginata knocked him off his feet. The air was forced out of his lungs when the butt-end of the shaft slammed into his torso.

"Kung Lao!" Sindel shouted. However, Kia and Jataaka both took this time to ambush the undead Edenian. Kia's boomerang blade had caught Sindel in the arm, while Jataaka knocked her down with a hard kick to the face.

The two Netherrealm demons stood over Sindel, Jataaka's energy sword raised over her head, preparing to drive it into Sindel's heart. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood soldier raised the naginata, preparing to drive the blade into Lao's neck. From the look of things, the blow would sever Lao's head from his body.

But thankfully, both Sindel's and Lao's luck was about to change.

"WA-TAA!"

The naginata-wielding Brotherhood didn't know what him. His spine snapped from the impact of the stranger's foot slamming into the back of his neck. But there was something familiar about the technique.

This distraction had caused both Kia and Jataaka to look up from Sindel, and allowed the second newcomer to intervene. Sindel saw her, as she charged at the two assassins from behind, and leapt in between them, legs stretched in a split, nailing both Kia and Jataaka in the face, knocking them back.

Then, both Sindel and Lao's eyes widened as their saviors removed their cloaks, throwing them to the side. It had been three years since they've last seen them, but even the former Shaolin and the former Queen recognized both Liu Kang and Kitana, despite the both of them being alive, and Liu looking older than he was back when he was a revenant.

Three Oni charged in, preparing to rend the former Emperor and Empress limb from limb. Two fell to the ground with smoking, burning holes in their chests, while the third was decapitated by Kitana's glaive. Jade had taught her how to use not only the glaive, but also the staff, and Kitana was a fast learner with both weapons.

The glaive was back in Kitana's hand and she quickly secured it behind her back. Both her and Liu turned to the gobsmacked Kung Lao and Sindel.

Sindel felt herself being lifted from the ground and onto her feet. She saw that Kitana was responsible, her eyes glowing white before fading to her normal brown orbs.

"Are you okay?" Kitana asked.

Having lost her voice for the moment, Sindel could only nod.

Liu took a more practical approach. He extended his hand out to his fellow Shaolin. "On your feet, Lao," Liu said, "The battle's not over yet."

Hesitantly, Lao accepted Liu's hand, his sharpened nails digging slightly into Liu's flesh as the former Emperor helped the elder Kung to his feet.

"Kun Lun Quan has too many openings in its defense," Liu noted in a half-amused, half-smug tone. "Shaolin Wushu is the far superior style."

That was all that Kung Lao needed. Both men had proclaimed that their respective styles were the superior one back in their Shaolin days.

 _"Shaolin Wushu has no equal!"_

 _"Kun Lun Quan is far superior!"_

Liu spotted movement from behind Kung Lao and Sindel. "He comes."

Lao and Sindel turned around. Approaching the former Shaolin was the second of Raiden's chosen to have fallen in kombat. In life, he was Bi-Han, the elder brother of the now-brainwashed Kuai Liang, and the first to use the codename 'Subzero.'

Now, he was Noob Saibot, former enforcer to Quan Chi, now the leader of the Brotherhood of the Shadow. Apparently, he was here to ensure that his side come out as the winner of this little conflict. And judging by the shocked expression his eyes held, he was just as surprised to see Liu Kang here as was Kung Lao. Kia and Jataaka, now recovered, flanked Noob Saibot, weapons drawn.

Kung Lao took a step forward, but Liu stopped him. "Go and help the others," he ordered. "Both you and Sindel. This is our fight."

When Lao hesitated, Kitana barked out, "Go! Now!"

Both Sindel and Lao nodded and ran off to help and the other revenants, leaving the former Emperor and Empress to take on the man who once was known as Subzero.

The five kombatants, three of them formerly of Earthrealm, faced off.

"The prodigal rulers returns," Noob sneered, bowing mockingly.

"Bi-Han," Liu replied flatly.

That struck a nerve with the wraith. "That name no longer has meaning to me," Noob replied. "I am Noob Saibot." He gestured to the hellish landscape around them. "The Netherrealm is mine. Do not interfere, and return to whatever hole you crawled out of. Both you and your Edenian whore."

Liu's nostrils flared. Kitana's eyes narrowed in anger. Kia and Jataaka smirked at the barb. But Liu calmed down. As it turned out, Johnny had subtly influencing him, as his rebuttal struck a nerve with Noob. "This, coming from someone who settled for Quan Chi's sloppy seconds. At least Sareena had the good sense not to become his whore, let alone yours."

That made Noob angry. Kia and Jataaka even more angrier. Liu and Kitana both sidestepped the shadow that Noob launched at the former, the shadow falling to the ground and dispersing. "You missed," he noted, grinning, right before launching his own fireball.

Noob teleported out of the way, appearing behind Liu and Kitana, posed to grab and slam Liu...

...only to get knocked back via Kitana's Square Boost.

Liu raised one hand, and with the index finger raised, waved it as if saying 'Naughty, naughty.' "You can have the Netherrealm for all we care," Liu said. "Kitana and I both came for our comrades. You can have the Netherrealm for all we care. This can end in two ways: withdraw of your own free will or I will force you out. Either way, you will withdraw."

"Bold words from a dead man, as you shall die again." To Kia and Jataaka, he said, "Eliminate Kitana. Liu Kang is mine."

Kitana turned to Liu. "He's all yours."

(cue 'I Cannot Let You Leave' from The Witcher 3)

Liu dodged the uppercut, and ducked under the roundhouse. Before Noob can attack with another shadow clone of himself, Liu's fist slammed flush along Noob's face. That left Noob stunned long enough for Liu to unleash a vicious combo of his own. A hard elbow to the face, followed by a quick uppercut, followed by another hard elbow to the face, and a flurry of kicks; the first on Noob's shin, the second on his torso, and the kick to the face knocking him back.

Kitana ducked under Jataaka's sword swing, and backflipped in order to avoid Kia's boomerang blade. Activating Jade's staff, Kitana met Jataaka's energy blade with her counterpart's own, blocking an overhead swing from Jataaka. Kia attempted to capitalize on this, but Kitana's foot lashed out, striking her in the face. With Kia out for the moment, Kitana focused on Jataaka. A hard knee to the dark-skinned demon's torso, followed by an overhead blow from the staff that knocked her to the ground.

Kia, now recovered, flung her boomerang blades. But Kitana quickly switched to her own fans from the staff and threw her own blades. Much to Kitana's shock, Kia's boomerang blades destroyed her own war fans. Thinking fast, Kitana performed a suicide kip-up to avoid the bladed boomerangs. When the weapons began their flight back to Kia, Kitana produced a second pair of fans (i.e., her fans from the live-action films), enforced by Edenian sorcery, and kmocked them out of the air.

Meanwhile, Liu was controlling the pace of the fight with Noob Saibot. Noob, for his part, was furious. While he was able to tag Liu with some good shots, it was clear that despite not being tied to the Netherrealm, Liu Kang was just as strong as he was back when he was Raiden's lapdog. Back when he was alive and bore the codename of Subzero, Noob had anticipated the day in which he could test his skills against Liu Kang.

Pity that Scorpion had killed him beforehand.

Noob cursed Shang Tsung for the third time. The wily sorcerer said that it would be easy to seize control of the Netherrealm from the revenants, now that Liu Kang and Kitana were no longer leading them. But now, his side was losing. The revenants were pushing his forces back, drawing their inspiration and strength from the revived Emperor and Empress.

Liu missed with the fireball when Noob teleported behind him, the deadly projectile taking off an Oni's head. Noob slammed his fist into the small of Liu's back, making him stumble. The shadow clone that followed tackled Liu to the ground. Liu rolled out of the way, avoiding the stomp to the head.

Now on his back, Liu pulled a trick out that he once saw Sonya do during Shang Tsung's tournament. He launched himself off the ground, feet-first, pummeling Noob in the face repeatedly. A vertical bicycle kick. Then, while in the air, he kicked him back to the ground, all the while, shouting, "Kitana, heads up!"

Kitana, for her part, was not getting out of this battle unscathed. Her lip was busted, courtesy of Jataaka, the blood slightly staining her mask and Kia was responsible for the shiner on her right eye. When she heard Liu shouting at her, she didn't hesitate. In the assassination business, hesitation meant death, and Kitana had died once already, not counting the two times she died in the First Run, anyway.

Kitana ducked, just as Noob's body sailed past her, slamming into both Kia and Jataaka. Quickly capitalizing, Kitana got to her feet, and began to spin. A swirling vortex of energy emerged, engulfing Kia and Jataaka and making them hover in the air. However, before neither Liu or Kitana could do anything, two crimson lightning blasts struck the female assassins. Kitana turned to Nightwolf, who had summoned the lightning bolts and gave him a nod, thankful for the aid. The nod was returned, and the undead shaman returned to the fray.

Seeing that his two generals were now out of action, and that the revenants were pushing his forces back, Noob Saibot gave the order to retreat. Pointing at Liu, he said, "We'll settle this another day, Shaolin! The Netherrealm shall be mine soon enough!" Summoning two shadow clones to retrieve both Kia and Jataaka, Noob Saibot withdrew from the fortress.

('I Cannot Let You Leave' ends here)

With Noob gone, Liu walked over to Kitana. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Kitana nodded. "I'll live. I assure you. And you?"

Liu nodded as well. "Personally, I'd expected more out of Noob. I'm very disappointed."

"Then again, we have been away for a long time," Kitana replied. "Speaking of reunions..."

The former Emperor and Empress turned back to the other revenants. Save for Kabal and Stryker, shock and disbelief were the main expressions on their faces. But none more than Sindel. Hesitantly, she took several steps towards the couple, hope etched into her red-gold eyes.

Kitana stepped forward. Her hand removed her mask, allowing her mother and the others to get a good look at her face. Sindel's hand reached up, shakily, and touched the side of her daughter's face. Kitana's cheek was warm, while Sindel's hand was ice-cold. But Kitana didn't flinch. She had waited a long, long time to be reunited with her mother. Unshed tears were in both mother and daughter's eyes as they embraced.

"Mother..." Kitana whispered.

"Kitana..." Sindel whispered back.

While the former Queen and Princess were having their reunion, Liu was dealing with the other revenants. One hand was raised, in order to stop the men from kneeling before him. "No. I'm not your Emperor. Not anymore," he said.

Nightwolf was the first to his feet. "We had expected the worst when Jade abducted you and Kitana." He looked at Liu. "This is no glamour? Or a mirage?"

Liu shook his head. "No to both, old friend. As you can see, Kitana and I both have a new lease on life. While she still looks the same...I got older. We can talk inside. We both owe all of you an explanation as to what has happened since we had left."

Nightwolf nodded. He and the others followed Liu and Kitana into the fortress.

* * *

The Netherrealm Fortress – the Throne Room.

A wave of nostalgia came across Liu as he ran his hand along the armrest of the throne. His throne, once upon a time. With Shinnok's untimely defeat at the hands of Cassandra Cage, the Netherrealm was sent into chaos. It had been both himself and Kitana that had brought order as Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm, with the revenants as their muscle.

Kitana had settled in on her throne, looking as regal as ever. Liu turned to the other revenants, who stood in front of the them. "You didn't claim the throne for yourselves?" he asked Kung Lao and Sindel.

The two revenants in question looked at each other. Then they turned back to Liu. "No. We felt that we were not worthy of such a title," Lao replied.

Slowly, Liu took his seat on his throne. It was cold, despite the heat. Once, he had welcomed the role of being the Emperor of the Netherrealm, as it meant that he and Kitana were finally together, even as revenants. Now, looking back, he didn't miss it.

But he did miss his friends. Despite their time under Quan Chi's control, they had formed a bond. It was a bond that Liu and Kitana had hoped to reforge yet again.

"When did the Brotherhood begin to attack you?" Kitana asked.

"About six months ago," Nightwolf replied. "Somehow, Bi-Han found out that you and Liu Kang were no longer here in the Netherrealm and has rallied what remains of the Brotherhood of Shadow under his banner. We've been lucky so far in repelling them back, but Bi-Han's numbers grow with each passing day. It will only be a matter of time before we are overrun."

"Sareena tried to warn us of the impending assault," Stryker continued. "We thought it was another ruse, seeing as how she was working for Earthrealm, and locked her away in the dungeons."

"Bring her to me," Kitana ordered. "She and I will have words."

Lao turned to Enenra and Kabal, and nodded. The undead Lin Kuei and the former Black Dragon hurried off to obey. Minutes later, they returned, dragging a disheveled Sareena, her wrist shackled in irons.

Enenra was about to strike Sareena in the back of her legs to force the demoness to kneel, but a glare from Kitana stopped him. The former revenant rose from her throne and stepped down from the dais, enjoying the look of surprise from Sareena, as she realized that the Kitana that stood before her was a lot different from the one that tried to kill her so many years ago.

Brandishing one of her fans, Kitana stopped within striking distance of Sareena, who watched the former revenant with apprehension.

Then, much to the surprise of the gathered revenants, Kitana unfolded her fan. Sparks kicked off of the ancient irons as Kitana struck the iron shackles, which then fell from Sareena's wrists, clattering to the floor.

Sareena looked at her wrists. Then back at Kitana in shock and wonder.

"You were right, Sareena," Kitana said as she secured her fan. "Emotion freed me as well. You were right all along."

Sareena's eyes widened further as she remembered her words to Kitana.

"Now, as to the reason why we have returned," Liu said as Kitana returned to her seat. "Three years ago, as you all know, Jade had taken us from here. As you can see, she restored us to life. Both Shinnok and Quan Chi underestimated her, as she knew the secrets of resurrection. She performed the spell on herself first, then, after taking the both of us away from here, did the same to Kitana and myself."

He paused to allow the revenants and Sareena to take in the news. It was Kitana who drove the nail home. "While it has been three years since you've last seen us...the both of us have been gone for nineteen years."

"Nineteen years?" Enenra parroted as the revenants shared concerned looks.

"Impossible," Lao seconded.

"While Kitana is practically ageless, Liu does look older," Nightwolf added. "And there is no lying in the both of them."

"Jade had taken us to an alternative version of Earthrealm," Kitana continued. "There, she restored both our lives and cleansed our souls." She raised a single hand, stopping the revenants from speaking. "Before you condemn her, listen to our story."

"And what exactly have the both of you been up to?" Lao asked.

"I went back to my previous line of work before I met Liu," Kitana replied. She turned to Liu. "Liu here turned out to be my finest pupil."

"You went back to being an assassin?" Enenra asked. He looked at Liu. "And you joined her?"

The former Emperor and Empress both nodded.

For the next hour, the revenants and Sareena watched as Kitana conjured both her and Liu's memories, showing them the past events. From their resurrection to the formation of the Red Lotus. From Kitana training in Edenian sorcery to Liu's training as an assassin. From the non-aggression pact with the Cage family to the rise of Cage Incorporated with Johnny Cage as its head. From Shang Tsung's resurrection to the death of Jade. And finally, the demise of Kano and his lieutenants to the raid into Earthrealm, resulting in the rescue of Ravenna Cage, Jax and Team S-F.

It was as if watching a repeat of what had happened with the Avengers and the X-Men when they along with the Cage family revealed the truth about their past.

"Okay," Nightwolf broke the silence. "I did not see that coming."

"Me becoming an assassin and marrying Kitana, Raiden going insane, Johnny Cage quitting acting and becoming an industrialist, or he and Sonya remarrying and having a second daughter?" Liu asked, sounding amused.

"Honestly...? All of the above," Stryker replied.

"That and the non-aggression pact you and Kitana made with him and Sonya," Sindel added.

"And that the realm you and Kitana have made your home in is home to heroes and villains alike," Enenra added. "But with what you have told us...you're not here to reclaim your throne or to help us in our battle against the Brotherhood, are you not?"

"Yes...and no," Kitana replied. "There is a reason as to why we are here."

"Johnny and I tried to get the Elder Gods to come to our aid," Liu continued. "As always, they cannot interfere."

Kabal snorted underneath his respirator. "No surprise there."

"However, they were concerned when they found out that Shang Tsung is alive," Liu continued. "Had Johnny Cage been in my place, you would have attacked him on sight, or assume that what Kitana and I are about to say to you is a lie. That's one of the reasons why we are here, to put all of you at ease."

Well, that much was true. Despite being freed from Quan Chi's curse, the revenants did not trust Earthrealm or Raiden's champions.

"Liu and I have no desire to return here. But we cannot stand by and let Raiden destroy our home," Kitana said. "That is where all of you come in. When they found out that Raiden has declared war on our new home and that he has Shang Tsung in their employ along with the Red Dragon, they issued the following proposal, one which is beneficial for all of you."

"Which is...?" prodded Sindel.

"Your lives were taken far too soon due to not only Raiden's lack of action, but Quan Chi's manipulations," Liu said. "The Elder Gods' offer is life; your souls restored and purged of the Netherrealm's corruption." He turned to Sareena. "For you, the Elder Gods are offering you the chance to become human."

Kitana turned to Kabal. "For you, your body restored before Kintaro immolated you."

"There's a catch, right?" Stryker guessed. "With the Elder Gods, there's always a catch."

Liu nodded. "There is. As I've said earlier, the Elder Gods wish to remove anything and everything that reminds them of Raiden. That includes all of you, as the majority of you once were his champions before our...fall. The trade-off is that we can never return to either Earthrealm or any other realms under their control."

"So we, in effect, become exiles should we agree," Sindel mused. "With our home realms forever out of our reach."

"Better than to remain here," Liu said. "The question is how long will it be before Bi-Han finally reaches his goal of ruling the Netherrealm. I would rather prefer it that all of you would join us. There's a flood coming. Kitana and I are offering you a place on the ark."

The idea was tempting. The chance to live again after nearly thirty years stuck as revenants. That and the chance to get their pound of flesh from Raiden for his actions which led to them being here.

"Why should we agree to this?" Kabal asked.

Liu and Kitana looked at each other. Then they turned back to the revenants. "Because Liu and I want our child to know their godparents," she said, placing one hand on her stomach, before turning to Sindel, "and for our child to know their grandmother."

Sindel's fiery eyes widened, as did the other revenants and Sareena. "You're...pregnant?" the former Queen asked.

Kitana nodded.

"Congratulations," Sareena said, the first to break the silence. She had been silent, thinking over the offer which was given to them. The chance to fully become human, and not just a demon in human skin. She had lost her chance to escape with Bi-Han when Shinnok cheap-shotted her from behind. Now, here was the chance to leave the Netherrealm for good.

"Of course, you are welcome with the Red Lotus should you wish it," Liu added. "If not, then your life is what you make of it."

Sareena was the first to make a decision. "It seems I owe you my life, Princess," she said. "I accept."

"You may need the advice of one who can communicate with the spirits," Nightwolf added. "Also, I know how Raiden thinks. I'm in."

"As am I," Enenra said, folding his arms across his chest.

Stryker shrugged his shoulders. "A chance to kick Raiden's ass, not to mention a shot a redemption? I'm game."

"Seconded," Kabal added.

Kung Lao shrugged his shoulders. "You still owe me a rematch, Liu. I accept."

The former Emperor and Empress smiled. The revenants returned the expression. Their redemption had finally come.

* * *

Three days had passed since the Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm resurfaced, driving Noob Saibot and his forces back.

Now, Noob Saibot was leading the Brotherhood of the Shadow in its entirety in a 'leave-no-survivors' assault on the fortress. No mercy would be shown, no quarter given. Noob had waited for far too long to allow Quan Chi's former pets to take back the Netherrealm. He would deal with both Kitana and her boy-toy personally.

Much to his shock and that of his lieutenants, the place was empty. Neither hide nor hair of the revenants, Liu or Kitana remained.

Noob strode forward, Kia and Jataaka barking out orders for the Brotherhood to conduct a thorough search of the fortress. He stopped upon reaching the doors that lead to the interior of the fortress proper.

Nailed to the door, was a sheet of paper, written in the Netherrealm runes. Noob yanked the paper from the door and began to read.

 **We got what we came for. The Netherrealm is your headache now. You will not see us again.**

And Noob understand. Liu and Kitana had came for the revenants. They had no desire to reclaim their throne, now his. Not how he wanted to seize control of the realm, but it was welcomed nonetheless. Although deep down, even Noob Saibot knew that when it came to a fight to the finish, not even he could beat Liu Kang, be it as a mortal or as a revenant.

Simply put, he lucked out.

But, with the other revenants out of his hair, there was nothing that was stopping him from taking the throne of the Netherrealm for himself.

"There's no one here," Kia reported.

"They're gone," Noob replied. "Liu Kang and Kitana have taken Sareena and the revenants out of the Netherrealm." He crumpled up the sheet of paper. "No matter. The Netherrealm is now mine."

His elation (if one can call that) was short-lived when he felt a sharp pain at his back. Looking down, he saw Jataaka's energy sword sticking out of his chest, black blood spilling out of the wound. Noob fell to the ground, Jataaka having severed his spine.

"It seems that the Brotherhood of the Shadow requires new leadership," Kia sneers as her partner pulled the sword out of Noob Saibot. "For many years we served under Shinnok and Quan Chi. Did you really think that you can truly be one of us, Noob Saibot? You are a mere wraith. We are the true denziens of the Netherrealm."

"But...but...why?!" was all that Noob managed to say.

"When Shang Tsung told you of Liu Kang and Kitana's absence, we began to make our own plans," Jataaka replied. "We really should thank you, Noob Saibot. However, your time is over. The Netherream is a place for demons, and ran by demons. Not wraiths or revenants."

"You used me?!" Noob screamed.

"Just as you used us," Kia replied. "Oh, we know who you are, Bi-Han. We didn't forget about our last encounter inside Shinnok's Temple when you were a human. But your greatest crime was turning Sareena against us. We would had welcomed her back into the fold. But you gave her hope."

"A new age is about to begin. One you shall never see," Jataaka added.

"We...had a deal!"

Now the two demonesses looked amused. "A deal?" Kia parroted. "Foolish little Bi-Han. We are of the Netherrealm. We respect strength. As for keeping our words...well..."

"We are not demons of our word," Jataaka interjected, raising the energy sword over her head. "All deals are off."

Jataaka brought her sword down. Noob Saibot's head was liberated from his body. So ended the life of Noob Saibot, his rule ending before it can truly begin.

"What about the revenants?" Kia asked as Noob's body was dragged away, his remains to be consumed by the Oni.

"They are gone, never to return," Jataaka replied as she disengaged her sword. "We have no further concerns for them. Now...the Netherrealm is under our control, as it should had been."

Kia nodded. A new age for the Netherrealm has finally begun.


	31. 21: Requiem, Part Two

**Chapter Twenty-One: Requiem, Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: Okay, now this chapter is short, but it sets up the next chapter. Originally, this was the ending for the last chapter, but I decided to split it because it was over 20 pages long. But I decided to post this early so I can focus on the next chapter in its entirety, which details the ex-revenants and Team S-F recovering from their respective ordeals.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier – over Cage Incorporated

"Okay..." Cassie turned back to her parents. "Back to the both of you. What exactly is this 'bad idea' that got you riled up?"

Sonya glared at her husband, her expression reading, 'Tell her.'

Johnny sighed. "As I stated earlier, Liu and I just returned from our meeting with the Elder Gods."

"And just as before, they would prefer to just sit with their thumbs up their asses," Liu added. He snorted in derision. "You'd think that they would learn their lesson the last time something like this happened."

"Only when Liu mentioned Shang Tsung and Raiden's eminent invasion of this planet did the Elder Gods decided to give Liu and I a proposal," Johnny continued.

"Which is...?" Cassie prods.

"Help in kombating Raiden and his forces," the Cage patriarch replied. "It the help in question which has your mom...well, not too happy."

"Who?" When her father was slow to respond, all Cassie had to do was to probe into his mind. Her eyes widened. "No...no fucking way! Not...them!"

Johnny nodded. "Yup. Them." He raised one hand, silencing his daughter. "As I was trying to explain to your mother before she cut me off, I'm not going to ask for their help." He pointed to Liu and Kitana. "They are."

"Who exactly are we talking about?" Stark asked.

"The revenants," Kitana replied. "Liu and I are going to the Netherrealm."

"You mean the guys you fought with, died and transformed into undead slaves of Quan Chi?" Cap inquired.

"The same," Johnny replied. "If I went with the Elder Gods' proposal, they would probably try and kill me. Again." He gestured to Liu and Kitana. "But if the former Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm decided to pay their old friends a visit, then they would be more welcome to the Elder Gods' offer, and less inclined to try and kill the both of them."

"But we're on a time limit," Liu said. "According to the Elder Gods, Raiden will need at least two months Earthrealm time in the Jinsei to fully recover from his injuries."

"Meaning that we have eighteen days," Johnny finished.

"A little over weeks..." Stark lulls. "That's pushing it." He turned to Johnny and Sonya. "I hope you got another trick up your sleeves."

"We got a couple saved for a rainy day," Johnny replied. He turned to Liu and Kitana. "But you two lovebirds better be on your way. Good luck."

Liu sighed. "We're definitely gonna need it," he replied as he and Kitana made their exit.

Liu and Kitana had swore never to return to the Netherrealm. Now, they were returning in order to get the help of their former comrades.

Johnny turned to his wife and daughter. "You think they will succeed?" the Cage family patriarch asked.

"With those two? Most definitely," Cassie said.

"Seconded," Sonya added. "The revenants trust them with their lives. You on the other hand..."

Johnny shrugged. "I know." His phone began to beep. Retrieving the item, he saw that the caller ID had Mey's name. He answered the call. "Cage."

"Chairman, the representative for Damage Control are here," Mey replied. "She is waiting for you inside your office."

"Thank you," Johnny replied, ending the call. Turning to Stark and Rogers, he said, "You mind coming with? Damage Control's here."

"I'd bet that it's probably Hoag," Stark said, nodding, while Steve did the same. "If it's something real serious, then she shows up."

"You're probably right," Johnny said.

"I'll sit in with Jax," Sonya said.

"Yeah, you do that," Johnny said. "Better for him to wake up to you than to me."

"Bad blood between you and Jax," Stark asked.

"Aside from marrying her," Johnny replied, nodding towards Sonya, "he broke my jaw."

Cap and Stark winced. "Ouch. What did you do to piss him off?" Stark asked.

"Long story short," Cassie interjected, "Uncle Jax didn't want Jacqui to join S-F. So she did it behind his back."

Sonya snorted. "Johnny, in his infinite wisdom, decided to break the news to Jax. And Jax broke his jaw."

"Shoulda let Jacqui told him," Johnny snorted, giving both Cap and Stark the evil eye as they snickered. "At least he couldn't have broken her jaw."

"I'll be with Jacqui," added Cassie.

* * *

Minutes later, at Johnny's Office...

If there was one thing that Johnny was thankful for, it was his uncanny ability for improv. As a retired actor, old habits die hard. So when it came time for a cover story as to why his beloved main compound looked liked World War III, he had the perfect excuse lined up.

After all, who would believe that a beloved industrialist and philantrophist was in fact an exile from his home realm along with his wife and elder daughter?

The Helicarrier hovered over Cage Incorporated, the Tactical Response Unit and the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives having finished the grim task of policing the bodies of the fallen Black Dragon and Hand operatives. Out of Kano and his four lieutenants, only the mangled remains of Jarek and Tremor's decapitate corpse were retrieved.

Sonya's orders were instant: cremation, of which Cassie and Ravenna had personally performed. The remaining bodies were taken by S.H.I.E.L.D. to be disposed of. Out of the attack force of the Black Dragon and The Hand, there was only one survivor, having been found inside a janitor's closet. He was taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.

Johnny Cage looked out at the carnage from his office window. Sonya's T.R.U. forces and S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives were patrolling the grounds. At the closed-off front gate, a mob of reporters were gathered. He had only gotten a couple hours' worth of sleep following Cassie's debriefing following the mission into Earthrealm. But being married to Sonya does have some perks, as she usually made him get up at the crack of dawn to train.

Well, that and really, really strong coffee.

He wasn't alone. Aside from Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, the former in semi-casual attire and the latter in civilian clothes, who sat on the couch, Anne-Marie Marie Hoag sat across from Stark, sipping on a cup of tea. Once word of the attack on Cage Incorporated had reached the company head of Damage Control, she was on the first flight out of New York to San Francisco to assess the damage left in the attack. Mey, Johnny's secretary, was also present.

"That's quite the story, Chairman," Anne-Marie said. "Then again, given as to how Osborn had tried to force you into giving up your business in exchange for your daughters, I'm not surprised that your business attracted the wrong kind of people."

Johnny turned from the window and faced the rotund woman. "Given what I and my family deal with on a normal basis, this was something unexpected. I guess I should be thankful that my wife's unit was conducting training exercises with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D."

That was the official cover story that the Avengers and Cage Incorporated had put in place. S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers were in town to participate in a series of training exercises with Sonya's S-F forces. When the building that Deadpool blew up was destroyed, Sonya had led her forces to Cage Incorporated, and the Avengers and the X-Men had answered the call for aid.

Of course, the press conference was scheduled in three days. More than enough time to tweak the cover story. 'For maximum effect and to gain sympathy,' Johnny had said.

Mey had given the press an official statement, saying that Johnny himself had been injured in the terrorist attack on his company, but would recover in three days to give a statement, backed by Stark himself.

Mey's phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out and activated it. A message from Kitana. She looked at the time. Five minutes. She never could get the hang of that, the whole time-space thing being different here and in Earthrealm.

"I hope you forgive me for coming here unannounced," Anne-Marie said, "but we at Damage Control value our customers' business."

Johnny sat down and turned to Stark. "Remind me to thank Rand for talking me into getting that superhero insurance premium," he muttered.

"Speaking of that," Anne-Marie paused to take a sip of her tea, "you are very fortunate that your policy covers this sort of thing. As for the attack on your family and business...anyone responsible?"

"Not the usual players, Miss Hoag," Johnny replied. "Cage Inc's Internal Division is working with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the T.R.U. to figure out who's behind this."

"We did capture one survivor and Captain Cage was able to read his mind before he committed suicide," Rogers explained. "A terrorist organization calling themselves the Black Dragon decided to attack Cage Inc. for their military research. As Chairman Cage had said, we were in town when the distress call came."

Picking up her tablet, Anne-Marie punched in a couple of keys. "We've haven't actually expanded out West due to the fact that most of the superheroes operate out of New York. But I can have the construction crews out here in...three days."

"That will work," Johnny said, nodding.

Anne-Marie finished off her tea. "Well...if you excuse me, I must make some calls, and have my teams on standby."

"By time you're ready, we'll have finished policing the bodies," Steve said.

With a handshake to Johnny and a nod to both Stark and Rogers, the rotund head of Damage Control made her exit. Once she was gone, Mey cleared her throat. "Chairman. I just received word from the grandmasters."

Now she held her boss's attention and those of the Avengers. "Well?"

Mey recited Kitana's message. "'Those who walked in the darkness have returned to the light.' The message was sent five minutes after they had left."

"I can never get used to the whole time-space thing," Rogers said.

"So the Shaolin and the Princess were successful in their mission," Johnny said, leaning back in his seat. "Good. Anything else?"

"The ex-revenants will be out of it for the next couple of days," Mey reported. "Also, they will be sending a couple of representatives here to help with the war plans in the following days."

Johnny nodded. "You've earned your pay today, Mey. Thank you." He turned to the two Avengers. "How's Hawkeye?"

"Grieving," Stark replied. "Murdock is with him."

Johnny nodded. He then frowned. "This whole thing with the Elder Gods doesn't sit right with me."

"What do you mean?" Cap asked. Meanwhile, Mey was recording the conversation in order to pass it to Liu and Kitana later on.

"When Liu and I went to the Elder Gods in order to get their help, they gave us the usual 'we-can't-interfere' line. But when I mentioned Shang Tsung not only being alive, but working with Raiden, that got a reaction from them."

"The sorcerer, right?" Cap clarified.

Johnny nodded. "One in the same. I can understand why the Elder Gods offered up the revenants to us. They want to rid themselves of anything that reminds them of Raiden."

"Shang Tsung is the greater threat," Stark surmised. "Not Raiden."

"If I know Liu, then he's probably thinking along the same lines," Johnny said. "Between the both of us, Liu knows how Shang thinks. And if he's gunning for Shinnok's amulet – which is currently in our posession – then he's using Raiden as a pawn."

"You think that Shang Tsung is more powerful than Raiden?"

Johnny looked pensive. "Shang Tsung was originally from Earthrealm, trained in the Black Arts by Shao Kahn. Shang pissed off the Elder Gods when they caught him stealing the soul of a fallen kombatant. So, they cursed him. He needs to consume the souls of his fallen victims in order to remain alive. Failure to do so will cause him to age rapidly and die."

"How do you know so much about this stuff?" Stark asked.

"The Shaolin Archives," Johnny explained. "When I took over as Raiden's champion, I had plenty of homework to do. So I began to research the realms. I kept copies of the archives saved on my laptop. Just in case. Shang Tsung's a master manipulator. On top of that, he can look into your soul and expose your greatest fear. Liu told me that Shang's soul was transferred to Ermac's after Sindel wiped out most of the heroes. When Shang revived himself, he killed Ermac in the process, meaning that he has not only the souls that made Ermac, but has also become stronger than ever." He turned to Stark. "You hit the hammer on the head, Stark. Shang is the greater threat."

"Can Kitana kill him?" Cap asked.

"Kitana's a tough one. I fought her. Cassie fought her. We just have to wait and see when the time comes," Johnny said. "Only thing we can do now is plan. Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst."

Both men nodded. The two men then left the Cage family head alone with his thoughts. Mey sent the audio of the meeting to the Red Lotus.

* * *

 _The Sky Temple – following the death of Vera Briggs..._

 _With an evil smirk on his face, Kano swaggered up to Jax, who stood guard in the courtyard. "What do you want, Kano?" Jax demanded._

 _"Oh, nothing much, Briggs," Kano replied. "Just to inform you that you are now a widow. Y'see...it's my honor to inform you that the lovely Vera Briggs is now dead." He tapped his faceplate with the flat of his knife. "You took my eye. I fucked your bitch. Fair trade, if you ask me."_

 _"..." Jax was silent. Shang, in the meantime, rolled his eyes in annoyance._

 _Kano continued to twist the knife, knowing full well that Jax (or Jacqui) were unable to do anything to him whilst under Raiden's corruption. "Your wife was a nice piece of ass, Briggs. I can see where Jacqui gets her looks from. Oh, she was a fighter, Vera was. But in the end, they all break. Vera was so ripe...so pink. She screamed for you and Jacqui to help her as my boy and me took turns. But there was no knight in shining armor for her."_

 _"Kano, enough," Shang ordered, ending Kano's gloating._

 _Kano turned on Shang. "What was that all about? Ruined my fun, ya did."_

 _Shang folded his arms across his chest. "So Vera Briggs is dead, obviously. You certainly are effective in your work, yet you lack subtlety in your actions. The woman was a non-kombatant. While she was a threat, she at least deserved a painless death."_

 _"Yeah, well..." Kano paused to take out a smaller knife and casually trimmed his beard. "...ya got a problem with me, then take it up with Raiden. It was he who ordered Jax's wife to be silenced."_

 _"Ah, yes. And you just jumped at the opportunity to get even with Jax," Shang snorted in annoyance. "You see it as the wife paying for the crimes of the husband."_

 _Kano grinned. "Just business. Nothing personal. Raiden gives an order, I follow it."_

 _"Oh course. You see yourself as a valuable asset to his cause," Shang replied. "In truth, you are as expendable as the rest of the Black Dragon."_

 _"Says the former boot-licker of Shao Kahn," Kano replied._

 _"You once worked for me, so I know how you think," Shang replied. "You would ally yourself against Earthrealm if there was something to gain. In this case, you only allied with Raiden to save your own miserable life. For being a survivor, you are merely a coward who fears death."_

 _Kano cybernetic eye glowed in fury as took a step forward. "Now see here, sorcerer, you're just as expendable as I am. We'll see just how long you remain in Raiden's good graces if you don't do what you promised and deliver the missing champions." He pointed to Jax. "And if Jax breaks out of whatever voodoo that Raiden has him under..." he paused to give Shang an evil smirk. "...then Jacqui will meet Uncle Kano."_

 _He brushed passed Shang and entered the Sky Temple._

* * *

"VERA!"

Jax's scream roused Sonya from her slumber. In an instant, she was at Jax's side, hands on his shoulders as he struggled in her grasp. Normally, he would toss her aside like a rag doll, but he was weakened following both Strange and Magik purging Raiden's corruption from his body.

"Jax! Jax! Calm down!" Sonya shouted. "It's me! It's Sonya! Calm down. You're safe."

Jax's eyes began to focus. Once they did, he found himself staring into the concerned face of his former subordinate, her violet eyes showing concern. "S...Sonya..?" Jax croaked.

Sonya nodded. "Yeah. It's me, Jax."

Without warning, Jax shoved Sonya to the side, and despite his condition, stumbled to the bathroom. Sonya followed him, and found Jax hunched over the toilet, emptying the contents of his stomach.

"Kano...he...he..." Jax was unable to get the words out.

Sonya gently reached over and rubbed his back. Slow, gentle circles. "Yeah. I know. She's gone, Jax," Sonya confirmed. "I'm sorry."

"He told me...Kano told me what he and his bastard son told me," Jax sobbed. "He killed Vera. He told me what he did...and I couldn't do anything about it." Tears began to stream down his face. "I was aware the entire time, and I couldn't do anything about it."

"I know. It was the same to me when Raiden corrupted me."

Jax gripped the sides of the toilet so tight that cracks were beginning to appear in the porcelain. "Kano took my wife...he killed Jacqui's mother...I'm gonna kill him with my bare hands."

"Don't bother. Cassie's beaten you to it."

Jax's red-rimmed eyes turned to Sonya, who gave him a brief explanation of the events leading to the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated. "I killed Darren, and Cassie killed Kano."

"How...did he die?" Jax asked.

Sonya's mind went back to that moment in which Cassie killed him, using his own sins against him, making him relive each and every moment over and over again until he died in agony. "Cassie and I double-teamed him. He begged for his life at the end, claimed that he was just following orders. He died screaming."

She helped Jax to his feet and led him back to the bed. "Where...where are we?" Jax croaked.

"San Francisco," Sonya replied.

Jax shook his head. "No. San Francisco was nuked...gone..."

"We're not in Earthrealm, Jax," Sonya said. "We're in an alternative Earth. No Elder Gods. No Mortal Kombat." She placed a hand on his forehead. "You're burning up. That's good."

"Jacqui..."

"She's here. Along with Jin and Takeda," confirmed Sonya.

"What Raiden said was true...you've been gone for almost 20 years..." Jax whispered.

Again, Sonya nodded. "Yeah. But it's been three for you. Get some sleep, Briggs. You need to rest. Purging you of Raiden's corruption has weakened you. You need time to recover. All of you. You need to rest. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

It didn't take long for Jax to fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.

* * *

With Cassie...

Several doors down, Cassie Cage sat in a chair. In the bed, was her best friend, Jacqui Briggs. Hair tied back, the eldest of the Cage daughters was tending to her former team. After checking on both Jin and Takeda, Cassie returned to Jacqui's room. The operation to replace her destroyed arms with the bionic implants were a success, but now, Jacqui was out cold, her body burning up due to the fever.

Just as her father had done to her mother all those years ago, Cassie grabbed a washcloth and drenched it in cold water. Once it was soaked, she placed it on Jacqui's head.

"How is she?"

Cassie knew that Frost was standing in the doorway. She was banged up and bruised from the training session she had underwent with Logan and Iron Fist. Johnny had given her a room of her own in the medical wing. It was temporary, but considering the past two years of sleeping on the ground and the dirt, a hospital cot was to Frost, like the Hilton.

"She has a fever. Just like Jin, Takeda and Uncle Jax," Cassie replied. "Just like Mom when Dad and me fled here all those years ago."

Frost entered the room and sat down on the empty bed. "You sure as hell came a long way since we fought in the deathmatch. From a Beverly Hills brat to hardened soldier."

"Venice Beach," Cassie corrected. "I went to school with some of those pompous pedants. They at like their shit don't stink."

Frost look amused. "And you don't?"

"It's true that I grew up with an actor for a dad," Cassie admitted, "but both he and Mom taught me the benefits of hard work. Of course, this was before they split. I was eighteen when they divorced."

"Your dad divorced your mom."

"No. It was the opposite. Mom left us. After the Blood Code fiasco...it was a wake-up call for Jacqui and me. Part of me wanted to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Another part of me wanted to impress Mom. So I enlisted."

Frost snorted. "Bet General Blade didn't like that."

"Oh, she didn't. She wanted me to go to O.C.S. But I wanted to start from the bottom. Worked my way up to Sergeant just in time for Shinnok to be freed from his amulet."

"And now, you're a Captain," Frost said. "How'd Sonya pull that off?"

"I qualified for a scholarship to West Point. Mom gave me her blessings." Cassie smiled sardonically. "She got what she wanted. Just took her an extra eighteen years."

There was a question that Frost had been wanting to ask ever since joining up with Cassie, but couldn't find the courage to ask.

"You're wondering why I saved your ass when you tried to kill me back at the MMA deathmatch?"

Frost's blue-tinted white eyes widened. Cassie smirked as she tapped the side of her head with her finger. Frost then remembered that Cassie was a telepath. "Oh. Right. Stay outta my head."

"To answer your question," Cassie replied, "I was taught to save lives, and only to take a life when threatened. Reason why I saved your ass was because it was the right thing to do. You're welcome, by the way."

"I'd be more thankful if you'd give me a rematch," Frost said. "No killing, but we got a score to settle, Cage." She smirked. "That is, if you feel up to it, old woman."

Cassie scoffed. "I'm not that old. But if you want to throw down, I'm game."

"I look forward to it, Cage." With that, Frost excused herself.

As Cassie re-doused the rag with water, her phone began to vibrate. Cassie picked it up and unlocked the screen. A message from her father, sent to her and Sonya. It was brief, consisting of three sentences.

 **MISSION INTO THE NETHERREALM SUCCESS. REVENANTS RESTORED. THE PRINCESS AND THE SHAOLIN WILL SEND REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COMING DAYS.**

Cassie sighed. She had bad experiences in dealing with the revenants. Now, they were back, purged from the Netherrealm's corruption and brought back to life. While her mistrust of Liu Kang and Kitana has lessened over the years. there was still bad blood in regards to the former revenants.

But they were now in the same boat, united against a common enemy.

* * *

Red Lotus Compound - Liu Kang and Kitana's Meditation Grounds.

" _This whole thing with the Elder Gods doesn't sit right with me."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _When Liu and I went to the Elder Gods in order to get their help, they gave us the usual 'we-can't-interfere' line. But when I mentioned Shang Tsung not only being alive, but working with Raiden, that got a reaction from them."_

" _The sorcerer, right?"_

" _One in the same. I can understand why the Elder Gods offered up the revenants to us. They want to rid themselves of anything that reminds them of Raiden."_

" _Shang Tsung is the greater threat. Not Raiden."_

" _If I know Liu, then he's probably thinking along the same lines. Between the both of us, Liu knows how Shang thinks. And if he's gunning for Shinnok's amulet – which is currently in our posession – then he's using Raiden as a pawn."_

" _You think that Shang Tsung is more powerful than Raiden?"_

" _Shang Tsung was originally from Earthrealm, trained in the Black Arts by Shao Kahn. Shang pissed off the Elder Gods when they caught him stealing the soul of a fallen kombatant. So, they cursed him. He needs to consume the souls of his fallen victims in order to remain alive. Failure to do so will cause him to age rapidly and die."_

" _How do you know so much about this stuff?"_

" _The Shaolin Archives. When I took over as Raiden's champion, I had plenty of homework to do. So I began to research the realms. I kept copies of the archives saved on my laptop. Just in case. Shang Tsung's a master manipulator. On top of that, he can look into your soul and expose your greatest fear. Liu told me that Shang's soul was transferred to Ermac's after Sindel wiped out most of the heroes. When Shang revived himself, he killed Ermac in the process, meaning that he has not only the souls that made Ermac, but has also become stronger than ever." He turned to Stark. "You hit the hammer on the head, Stark. Shang is the greater threat."_

" _Can Kitana kill him?"_

" _Kitana's a tough one. I fought her. Cassie fought her. We just have to wait and see when the time comes. Only thing we can do now is plan. Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst."_

Liu Kang replayed the recorded conversation between Johnny and the two Avengers in his mind. He hadn't told Johnny, but he shared the same concerns as his American counterpart had in regards to both Raiden and Shang Tsung. Goes to show that

Ironically enough, Liu had came to the same conclusion as he and Kitana tended to the former revenants; Shang Tsung, not Raiden, was the bigger threat. While Raiden thought that he was protecting Earthrealm, Shang Tsung was an ambitious little shit that cared only about his own power.

And on top of that, his ultimate goal was to get his hands on Shinnok's Amulet.

It had been three hours since he and Kitana had returned from the Nexus. As promised the Elder Gods had purged the revenants of their corruption, and granted Sareena a human form. The downside to that was that the revenants were now unconscious, and would be out of it for the next couple of days.

'Just as Kitana and myself had been,' Liu thought as he rose to his feet in one smooth motion.

* * *

With Kitana...

Liu found Kitana in one of the spare rooms. Sindel was in the bed, unconscious, a damp rag on her head. Kitana was seated next to her, having changed out of her kombat attire, yet her hair remained in her dual braids. "How is she?" Liu asked.

"Like the others," Kitana replied. "They will be out of it for the next couple of days." She sighed. "I can only imagine what Mother will go through once she regains consciousness. Her burden is far more greater than our own."

Liu nodded. "Revived twice by Quan Chi...brainwashed and empowered by Shao Kahn...and sent to murder most, if not all of us. If she wakes up screaming, I wouldn't be surprised."

"It happened to me when Jade revived me," Kitana confessed. "You slept through that."

Liu looked at Sindel. "I can sympathize as to what she and the others will be going through once they regain consciousness." He took a seat next to her. "Mey sent us a recording of a meeting between Cage, Rogers and Stark."

"I know. I listened to it earlier. Cage does raise some interesting points," Kitana noted. "I also concur with what he said about Shang Tsung being the greater threat than Raiden. There is a reason why my stepfather..." Kitana sneered out the word 'stepfather' "...did not entirely trust Shang Tsung. And he confirmed it to Cassandra that he is after Shinnok's Amulet."

Kitana smiled humorlessly. "Raiden embraced the snake...and the snake is poised to sink its fangs into the thunder god's back. Although I am surprised that Johnny expressed his faith in me regarding whether or not I can kill Shang."

"Have you come up with an idea as to how to stop Shang?"

Kitana pursed her lips. "I got a couple in mind. I can't face him in a sorcery battle, as he is more powerful than me. Which leaves fighting him as a last resort."

"You're not doing this alone, Kitana," Liu said. "We have a better chance of killing Shang if we work together."

Kitana looked at her bandaged hand. The same one in which she swore a blood oath to avenge Jade. "I know."

The pair exchanged a glance. Then the mood was interrupted with the arrival of a Red Lotus operative. Clad in the standard Red Lotus garb (think a shinobi shozuku), the female got the attention of the two grandmasters by clearing her throat.

Kitana turned to the operative. "Yes, Lynn?"

"Reporting in, Grandmaster Kahnum," the operative replied. "We found her."

Kitana knew exactly what she meant. Before the mission into the Netherrealm, she had ordered a small group of Red Lotus to travel to Japan and recover Elektra's body. Now, they had returned with their objective. Making sure that Sindel was comfortable, Kitana exited the room, followed by Liu Kang.

* * *

It had been three days since her murder, and already, her body was starting to putrefy. Kitana and Liu Kang stood over the body of Elektra Natchios, the blood drained from her body, the tongue sticking out of her slashed throat.

There had been a rivalry between the Edenian-born princess and the Greek-born assassin. From that rivalry, came a form of mutual respect. And now, she was gone, murdered by Kano, and her organization now destroyed.

"If only the Hand knew that Kano was leading them to their deaths," Liu said.

Kitana nodded. "She was a fighter. Defiant to the end. At least Cassie avenged her."

"Along with the other people Kano had victimized," Liu said. "Why did you order our men to bring her here?"

"Elektra and I never got along, but we respected each other," Kitana replied. "She deserves an honorable funeral, not to be left as food for the birds."

Liu Kang nodded. He walked over to the cabinet where the Red Lotus kept the white cloth used to bundle the bodies with. Kitana produced the water and two washcloths. Elektra's body was stripped and cleaned as best both Liu and Kitana could do. Then, they wrapped the body up in the white cloth, her face the last to be covered.

* * *

For the second time in less than a week, a second funeral pyre was constructed. Only this time, this funeral was a private affair. Liu Kang carried Elektra's body to the pyre and set it down. Holding an unlit torch in her hand, Kitana extended it to Liu, who lit it with his flames.

"Farewell, Elektra," Kitana whispered as she tossed the torch onto the pyre. Due to the magical properties of Liu's flames, the pyre quickly caught fire.

Stepping back to her husband, Kitana felt his fingers interlock with her own. As Elektra's body was consumed in the flames, one thing was certain. Things would get a whole lot worse before things would get better. And with Raiden recovering in the Jinsei thanks to Cassie and Ravenna, this was no longer a war on Earthrealm's end.

If they fail in stopping Raiden and his forces, then the realm would face extermination.


	32. 22: Reunions, Part One

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Reunions, Part One**

Snafu's Notes: First off, SEAGATE HARD DRIVES SUCKS! Ever wondered why I haven't updated Resident Evil: A Change In Pace, Hokuto Kombat or Ranma: Consequences? That's why, as I've lost most of my work. So they're on hold until one of two things happens: first, I find some old data of the stories in question, or when I finish up working on the chapters. The second, I just realized that there is a 16-hour difference between China and the West Coast. Also, I'm going to be redoing the MK Banter fanfic and add on the XL characters as well.

Three days later (T-minus fifteen days until Raiden fully recovers)

Red Lotus Compound – near the Chinese-Vietnamese border, dawn

Kung Lao's eyes snapped open as his body shot upright in a seated position.

Unlike Liu, who was shirtless, Lao was naked. Fortunately, the bedsheet was there to cover his mid-section. Lao groaned as he doubled over in pain. The headache that he also had wasn't helping matters.

"Between the pains and the headaches, I'd gladly take that any day rather than what I went through with Raiden when he killed me," Liu Kang noted.

"L...Liu?"

From his place, seated in a chair, Liu Kang nodded. "Yes, brother. It's me. Welcome back to the land of the living. How do you feel?"

"Aside from the pains...hungry," Lao muttered.

Liu smiled. "I know the feeling. Once Kitana and I were revived, our hunger was borderline ravenous. We just didn't realize it at the time."

"The others...?"

"...are here. Kitana's with Sindel. The others are awake." Liu gestured to his left. Lao followed Liu's glance. Neatly folded, was a pair of clothes, some shaving foam, and a razor. But most importantly, his hat. Not the mockery that Quan Chi had made it into back when he was a revenant, but his actual hat, restored to its former glory.

"The others will meet up at the courtyard for breakdast." Liu pointed to the smaller door. "Bathroom's there. You can use a shower."

Lao nodded. "Where...are we?"

"The main compound of the Red Lotus," Liu explained. "You and the other revenants are not the only ones that were brought back."

Lao remembered that memory, of which Kitana had shown him back in the Netherrealm. "My cousin and his teammates...?"

"...are in the care of Cage Incorporated," Liu confirmed, "along with Jackson Briggs." He paused for a moment. "You need to talk to Jin."

Now, Lao was concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"Depends on your view of something wrong," Liu replied. "Remember Po Zhen?"

Lao nodded. "I do. He joined the Shaolin under duress by his parents, due to his homosexuality." Lao's eyes widened as he mentally connected the dots. "My cousin is gay?" When Liu nodded, Lao asked, "How do you know this?"

A small smile crept across Liu's lips. "Johnny told me. Did you know that Team S-F was his idea? That he trained up both his and Jax's daughters, Takeda's son and Jin?"

Lao snorted. "He must had done something right, seeing as how his daughter went on to defeat Shinnok."

"Anyway, once in a while, Johnny and I challenge each other to a match, to keep the other on their toes," Liu explained. "After one of our matches, he told me about the problems he had when it came to training his team; Cassandra's self-doubts, Jacqueline's desire to make her father proud, Jin's past as a thief and his sexuality and Takeda's issues with his father. I'm also surprised as to how he pulled that stunt off. "

"He feels that I would reject him due to his proclivities," Lao said.

"Yes. But most of all, Jin desires your approval, something that the other members of the Kung family have not given him due to his criminal past."

Lao leaned back in his bed, rubbing the back of his neck. An old habit he had yet to break following his resurrection as a revenant. His death, like Liu's, was his own fault, as he was not expcting Shao Kahn to snap his neck from behind.

"Only thing that's worth a damn is family," Lao said. "I don't care what his heart desires. He is family. I just hope he forgives me for trying to kill him while I was a revenant."

"Seems that the both of you need to clear the air," Liu said. He stood up. "I won't push you into talking with Jin. But it would do the both of you some good if you had a sit-down face-to-face." He looked at his watch. "It's almost six. Just in time for breakfast. Get yourself cleaned up, and meet the others in the pavillion. We have a lot to discuss."

Lao nodded and Liu exited the room.

* * *

At the same time, with Kitana...

Ever since returning from the Netherrealm, Kitana had not left her mother's side. As expected Sindel had woken up screaming. Fortunately, Kitana had the foresight of casting a soundproof barrier around her room.

Given what Sindel had done prior to becoming a revenant, Kitana honestly couldn't blame her. After all, she too, had to deal with her past sins as a revenant.

For the moment, Sindel wanted to be alone. That was one order that Kitana would not follow.

The former princess watched as her mother took a sip of the herbal tea that Kitana had brought in. It was good, Sindel realized, as she took another sip. It also helped her calm her nerves.

"It wasn't your fault, Mother," Kitana said in a soothing tone. "You wasn't yourself."

"It does not make it any easier for me," Sindel replied. "I know that you and the others have forgiven me...but I still have nightmares. They didn't bother me as much as a revenant. But now..."

Kitana sighed. "I know. Liu and I have them as well."

"My sins are far greater than yours," Sindel replied, sorrow in her solid white eyes. "I killed you...your best friend...and the others. You pleaded with me, begged me to stop...but I didn't. It took the shaman to stop me, at the cost of his own life. Looking back as to what I had done as a revenant is much easier than what I had done under Shao Kahn's control."

"You forget that I was once under Kahn's control as his assassin. But his trust in me only went so far. Mileena and Skarlet are proof of that."

"Will the others forgive me? Cassandra Cage and her parents? I tried to kill both her and Jackson Briggs in the past."

"As did I," Kitana replied. "Cassandra has forgiven me. Johnny blames himself for not doing more to stop you, a sentiment shared with Sonya."

"It still doesn't make things easier."

Kitana placed a hand on her mother's shoulder. "I know. The only thing we can do is move forward. Redemption is not given, Mother. It is earned. The road ahead is hard, but we are here for you." She placed her other hand on her belly. "All of us."

Sindel weakly smiled. "Thank you, daughter." She decided to change the subject. "So...married?"

Kitana nodded. "Nineteen years."

"I saw you making eyes at him during our time in the Netherrealm. Is he a good man?"

Again, Kitana nodded. "He is, Mother. We reinforce the other's strengths and shore up the other's weaknesses. We make quite the pair."

Sindel finished off her tea and handed the cup to Kitana. "Leave me. I will be out momentarily."

With a kiss on her mother's cheek, Kitana exited the room, leaving Sindel alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Outside...

Funny how one takes things for granted. Back in his Shaolin days, Kung Lao hated getting up at the crack of dawn. The saying was true: one doesn't realize what one has until it was gone.

In all honestly, Lao should had known better than to preen and grandstand in front of Shao Kahn. And he paid for it. Looking back on it now, Lao realized that his death was just like Liu's own – his own fault.

The bath had helped him. Of course, there was the hair. As a revenant, he was clean-shaven and bald. When he woke up, he looked liked the Shaolin version of Robinson Crusoe. He spent an extra amount of time in the bathroom, cleaning himself up, and shaving the hair off his face. He noticed that his reflection looked older, meaning that he aged.

Emerging from the residential quarters, in fresh clothes, hair tied back in a braided ponytail, face clean-shaven (i.e., his Tournament costume), hat in his hand, eyes closed, basking in the warm rays.

Lao's reflections was interrupted by the cawing of a bird. A raven, sleek, black had just perched on the head of a statue, its blood-red eyes studying the former Shaolin. The act itself wouldn't had bothered Lao had it not been for the fact that the raven was the size of an Andean condor, and there was a smoky, hazy aura coming from the bird, making it more...sinister.

After all the crap that he had experienced as a revenant, seeing the equivalent of a B-52 with a beak did not phase Lao.

"Enenra."

Lao turned to the source of the voice. Standing before him, unmasked, but still in the attire he wore as a revanant, was Tomas Vbrada. He, like Lao, looked nearly 20 years older, the hair just as long as the day he had died. He also needed a shave, due to the stubble on his face.

The raven – now revealed to be Enenra – squaked, and flew back to its host, shrinking down to the size of a normal raven before settling on Smoke's shoulder.

"Quiet, you," Smoke scolded when the 'raven' cawed again. To Lao, he said, "Welcome back."

"Good to be back," Lao replied. He looked at the demonic-looking raven on his shoulder. "That's Enenra?"

Smoke nodded. "When I died, Enenra became the dominant personality. When I came back, Enenra somehow was released from my body. Now, he's my familiar. He's been toying around with various forms, trying to see which one he's comfortable with." He reached up and petted his demonic pet. "He seems to like the raven. The cat is his second choice."

"So you had a smoke demon living inside of you," Lao deadpanned.

The Czech-born ninja nodded. "Yeah. Long story, and boring one too." He looked around the place. "Both you and Sindel are the last to awaken. Kitana's with her mom now. Nightwolf and the others are awake and at the courtyard."

Smoke gestured Lao to follow him. Which he did. The groundskeepers moved around the grounds, cleaning and scrubbing the blood stains from the ground and the walls, while Red Lotus operatives patrolled the grounds. Lao remembered that the Tarkarta and Shang Tsung had invaded the place, and while Liu and Kitana were able to fight them off, Jade had paid the ultimate price.

"These buildings...they're definitely Shaolin," Lao noted.

Smoke nodded. "Indeed. Liu and Kitana both confirmed that theory. The official cover for the Red Lotus is that it's an orphanage and martial arts school. The Red Lotus protect the helpless by meting out justice when the justice system fails."

Lao had heard it all before back in the Netherrealm. Yet, he still can't believe it.

He remained silent as Smoke led him to the courtyard.

* * *

At the same time, Cage Incorporated's Medical Research Building - nearly noon.

There was a reason why Johnny Cage was given the moniker 'King of San Francisco.' He was the city's biggest patron, and Cage Incorporated had revived the city's economy. So much so that the top three floors of Medical Research Building also served as a state-of-the-art medical center, the result of a contract being brokered between Cage Incorporated and the city for its more delicate procedures.

All three of the floors were being used by the Tactical Response Unit, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the X-Men, for those with serious injuries save for three. These three were occupied by Cassie's former team and Sonya's longtime friend.

Johnny Cage was the host of this little shindig. Not even when he formed Cage Incorporated was he working this hard. Between planning for the inevitable showdown with Raiden, checking on Takeda and Jin, and dealing with the Avengers and X-Men, he barely had time for himself.

Sonya had kept her own vigil over Jax, while Cassie watched over Jacqui. The operation had been a success, and Jacqui now had a pair of bionic implants, just like her dad.

'I wonder does this mean I get to call her Tin Girl,' Johnny thought wryly as he took a sip of his coffee. He had at least an hour and a half before the news conference, which meant running over to the main building, shower and change into his semi-formal attire.

"Still out cold?" Tony Stark asked from his place in the doorway.

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. Checking in on me, Stark?"

The Iron Avenger entered the room, dressed in casual clothing. He would change into his business suit within the hour. But looked just as worn and haggard as the older man. "Something like that."

"Where's Rogers?"

"Checking on Hawkeye," Stark replied. "Both him and Murdock."

"I've known loss," Johnny said, "but I can't imagine what those two are going through."

"You forgot Jax."

Johnny nodded. "Kano was a bastard to begin with. He got what he deserved."

Tony mentally shuddered. "I can't imagine the chaos and destruction that he would had unleashed if he ran wild on this planet, let alone join forces with some of the more sinister players."

"Cassie did all of us a service when she killed him," Johnny replied. "Then again, Kano wasn't known to play nice with others, especially when money's involved. Sonya could count the times he betrayed Earthrealm just to make a fast buck."

"Something's bothering you, Cage," Stark noted.

Johnny scoffed. "Three days ago, Sonya and I were worried about keeping Cassie and Ravenna away from both you and Summers. Now, we have to deal with not only a batshit-insane thunder god, but a soul-stealing sorcerer who is considered to be the bigger threat between the two." He sighed. "I thought I was done playing the hero. But every time Sonya and I try to walk away, we get pulled back in."

"I thought you lived for that kind of thing," Stark noted.

"Been there, done that. Got myself nearly killed and was even brainwashed. I don't know about you, but I'm getting too old for this type of thing. Cassie and Ravenna are the fighters now. Sonya and I are just the protectors." He looked at the unconscious Takeda and Jin. "That was the idea I had when I formed Team S-F. My own little band of misfits."

"From what I saw of your memories, you had your work cut out for you," Stark said, just as Mey entered the room.

"Anything new?" Johnny asked.

"Grandmaster Kahnum reports that all of the revenants are awake and alert," Mey reported. "Well, ex-revenants," she quickly amended. "Both her and Grandmaster Kang will be sending a couple of representatives here to help with the planning."

"Exactly how many of the ex-revenants are we dealing with?" Stark asked.

"Six. Seven, if you count Sareena, who's a demon in human flesh," Johnny replied.

"Sareena's fully human now, Chairman," Mey replied.

"Huh. How about that." Johnny sighed. "Win or lose, this is gonna be my last war. As for the former revenants, this is one reunion that I'm honestly not looking forward to. Kitana's mom, Subzero's best friend, an ex-Black Dragon-turned-cop and his partner, the shaman, and Mr. Hat Fetish."

"He has...a name, asshole."

The voice was but a hoarse whisper, yet Johnny, Mey and Tony all heard it. They turned their attention to the bed. Kung Jin was struggling to get to a seated position. "His name...is Kung...Lao."

He would had fallen out of the bed, had it not been for Johnny and Mey rushing over to him and catching him before he rolled over.

"Whoa there, Jin," Johnny said. "Easy now. You've had a rough night."

"The years...under Raiden's control...much worse." Jin looked at Johnny. "You...look younger."

"And you still got your charming personality," Johnny replied. "Mey, can you..." Johnny turned around, only to stop mid-sentence as Mey had produced a bottle of water, unopened from her bag. She had picked up one for herself from the vending machine, only to end up giving it to her erstwhile boss instead. Johnny accepted the bottle from his secretary. "Never mind. Thanks." He unscrewed the top and handed the bottle to Jin. "Here."

Jin accepted the bottle and took a sip. "Who are they?" Jin asked of Mey and Stark. "Where are we?"

Had Jin not been so weak, he would had given Tony Stark a look-over.

"He's my business rival and superhero," Johnny explained, "She's my secretary and go-between for myself and Liu. As to where we are, we're in San Francisco." Johnny placed a hand on the Shaolin's head. "Fever's gone. Three days. Same amount of time it took for Sonya to break hers after she was freed of the corruption."

"Is it true?" Jin asked, his voice getting stronger. "Is my cousin here?"

"In this realm? Yes," confirmed Johnny. "Alive and well. He and the other ex-revenants are holed up with Liu and Kitana at the Red Lotus temple."

"I was stabbed in the back. Intense pain, yet I'm not dead. How...?"

Tony 'hmmed.' "Must've been Magik. Her Soulsword has the ability to render humans unconscious, whereas it can kill magically-based beings outright."

"Magik?" Jin parroted.

"If you see a blonde girl in black leather wielding a giant sword and practices sorcery and occasionally speaks Russian, you've met Magik," Johnny explained. "As to where we are, we're in an alternative Earthrealm. San Francisco, to be precise. For the moment, you're all safe. How do you feel? Hungry? Drained?"

"Yes to both," Jin replied.

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. That's about right. It was the same for Sonya too." He looked over to Takeda, who was still out. Jin followed his line of sight. "You're not the only one that Cassie rescued. She's with Jacqui and Sonya's with Jax." Johnny sighed. "Raiden forced my hand. I knew this was coming and I tried my damnedest to save you all. But I was too late. Raiden had corrupted Sonya and the others, leaving Cassie and me for last."

"Makes sense, since the both of you managed to beat Shinnok," Jin said. "The two of you against...well, everyone else."

Johnny looked at Takeda. "How'd Tak lose an eye?"

"Shrapnel from Erron Black's revolver. He lost it during Mortal Kombat." Jin closed his eyes in shame. "The things we did in Raiden's name...Takeda...Jacqui...even me."

"It wasn't your fault, Jin," Johnny said.

"Do you know what it feels like? To not be in control, but completely aware?" Jin deadpanned.

Johnny nodded. "I do. Sonya and Cassie included. The Blood Code. And according to the First Run, both Sonya and I were killed and revived by Onaga. So yeah, I know."

Jin knew what Johnny meant by the First Run. The original timeline, in which Cassie didn't exist and Shao Kahn won Armageddon and killed Raiden, Johnny himself dying no less than three times.

"Raiden saw both you and Cassie the biggest threat out of all the champions," Jin said.

"I know. The fucker pretty much ruined our old lives back in Earthrealm," Johnny said. "He plotted to have me killed during Mortal Kombat, and to groom Cassie to take my place. This was after he had tricked her into killing Shujinko. He just didn't take into account that she would instead run rather than report in at the Sky Temple."

Mey cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Chairman, but you're on a tight schedule..." she reminded him.

Jin looked at Johnny. "Chairman?"

"Oh, right," Johnny said. "I forgot. I'm a billionaire industrialist in this realm. Been retired from acting for nearly 20 years. Welcome to Cage Incorporated. Both Sonya and Cassie went back into the military..."

"...and there's Ravenna," Jin said. "We met back in Earthrealm."

Johnny beamed with pride. "The heir to the company," he said. He stood up. "I need to prepare for the press conference. And I need you to keep Takeda company until he wakes up. In the meantime, I'll send someone to bring you something to eat."

Jin nodded. Both Johnny and Stark exited the room, save for Mey, who remained behind.

"I bring a message from your elder cousin," Mey said. "He wishes to speak with you. He knows about your...preferences."

Jin paled. "He does?"

The Red Lotus plant/Johnny's secretary nodded. "He does. He also adds that he is not judging you because of what you desire, nor does he despises you. He just wants to talk to you."

Jin calmed down. "When?" he asked.

"Tomorrow at noon. Chinatown. West Entrance of Portsmouth Square."

Jin only took a moment to think about the offer. "Tell him that I will be there."

Mey nodded and exited the room, leaving Jin alone.

* * *

With Jax...

Voices. That, along with the sun's rays was what aroused Jackson Briggs from his slumber. The first voice was one that he recognized instantly, while the second was unknown to him.

"Reporting in, Mey?"

"Yes, General. Kung Jin is awake. As for the body retrieval, I've received reports that the task has been completed. The remains of Jarek and Tremor have both been cremated, as were those of the Black Dragon and The Hand, per to your orders."

"Any word on the ex-revenants?"

Ex-revenants? That caught Jax's attention.

He opened his eyes. Sure enough, Sonya Blade stood chatting with four other people; the first being the attractive Asian-looking woman in a blouse and black skirt that ended at her knees and a pair of tennis shoes. The second woman was American attractive, standing about the same height as Sonya, with short dark hair, with a black skin-tight suit, white gloves and white boots, while the third woman also stood around Sonya's height, with long strawberry-blond hair, her eyes concealed by her sunglasses, and clad in a simple black turtleneck sweater, pants and dark brown boots. The sole man in the group stood around Johnny's height, muscular, wearing a bodysuit – black with red trim – the cowl that usually covered his eyes absent, showing off a mop of dark brown hair and a pair of ruby-tinted shades that covered his eyes.

Sonya, much to her credit, was clad in a white sleeveless shirt, combat fatigues and combat boots (i.e., her Major Blade outfit). The tactical vest was unzipped, and instead of her signature wrist gauntlets she had on a pair of fingerless gloves. Instead of the braid, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Our mutual friends report that they are awake. The grandmasters are showing them the ropes, so to speak. They've sent words that they will send a couple of representatives to help with the planning."

"And Johnny?"

"The Chairman was sitting in with the Shaolin and the ninja. Kung Jin has regained consciousness. Unfortunately, the Chairman had to leave to prepare for the news conference. He, along with Director Stark, are finalizing the statement that will be given to the press."

Sonya nodded. She turned to Cyclops. "Anything on your end, Summers?"

"So far, nothing. I've had Emma alert the Cuckoos to be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. How long do we have before Raiden recovers from his injuries?"

"Fifteen days," Sonya replied.

"That's pushing it, General," the short-haired brunette replied.

"We got the advantage," Sonya said. "We know that Raiden and the others are coming. But that doesn't mean that Raiden's lackeys will stick to the timetable." She turned to the thirs woman, while Mey answered her phone. "Julia?"

"You mean aside the fact that your former boss wants to destroy this realm after Cassie and Ravenna barbecued him? The future is murky, General, but I concur with you believing that both Daegon and Shang Tsung shall act on Raiden's behalf while he recovers in the Jinsei."

"Meaning?" Cyclops asked.

"Hit-and-run tactics," the brunette surmised. "Emerge from a portal, do enough damage in the allotted time possible, then retreat."

Sonya nodded. "I was thinking the same as well. Okay, this is what we'll do. Commander Hill, get on the horn with the U.N. Tell them that the world's armed forces should be on full military alert, and to refer to Earthrealm as a 'hostile realm.'"

The brunette – now identified as Maria Hill – nodded. "Anything else?"

Sonya took a moment to think. "Send word word to the Inhumans, Asgard and Otherworld. I want Black Bolt warned, and Thor and Braddock on standby. That killer voice of Black Bolt's may be the edge we need just in case, and Thor may be strong enough to match Raiden in power."

"And Utopia?" Cyclops asked.

"I know you may not like this, Summers, but you may want to have some of the Avengers guarding the place," Sonya replied. "Just in case. Not all of the mutants there are fighters like you."

Summers nodded. "I understand, General. I'll have Magneto accompany some of the Avengers to Utopia. Just to be safe, I'll warn Namor of the threat."

"Overkill, much, General?" Mey asked.

"Overkill is underrated," Sonya replied. "Who knew that my husband's work ethic inspire me?"

Jax blinked. 'Husband? Sonya married Johnny again?'

"I'll contact the grandmasters. They have friends in both the Chinese government and the P.L.A. You may be right about the overkill." Mey saw movement from the corner of her eye and turned to Jax. "Your friend is awake, General," she said.

Sonya's head snapped to see Jax trying to sit up. She rushed over to him, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently helped him to a sitting position. Maria, Cyclops, and Madame Web saw it as their cue to leave. "Easy there, tough guy." She placed a hand on his forehead. "Fever's gone. How do you feel?"

"Drained. Hungry," Jax grunted. "Hurt all over from that fight I had."

"Yeah, both T'Challa and Luke told us,' Sonya said. "Cassie and Ravenna even showed us the memories of the fight." She gave Jax a wry grin. "Johnny lamented that he wasn't there to see it in person. We always wondered how you would do against Luke Cage and the Black Panther."

"So that's who those two were," Jax grumbled. "Pretty smart of Cassie to send them after me."

Sonya smirked. "To quote my husband, 'I may vomit with pride.'" Turning to Mey, Sonya asked, "Can you get him some food? Order out if you have to."

Mey nodded quickly departed from the room.

"You're still here," said Jax.

"Not easy running S-F from a hospital room," Sonya replied. "You were out for three days."

"Been livin' in a nightmare far worse than that," Jax grunted. "Being corrupted by Raiden was much worse than being a revenant. I...I was aware the whole damn time." He looked at Sonya, a haunted look in his eyes. "He forced us to watch as Kano attacked the base. Flagg and the others fought for their lives..." He shook his head. "Flagg begged me and the others to save him. We just stood there and watched as that one-eyed bastard killed him." He swallowed hard. "Jacqui? Where's Jacqui and the others?"

"They're here," Sonya replied. "Jacqui's in the next room, and Takeda and Jin both are sharing a room next to hers. Johnny's been checking up on the boys. Jacqui..."

Jax became alarmed at Sonya's hesitation. "What? Sonya? What happened to my daughter?"

Sonya decided to come out and explain what had happened in the aftermath of the rescue mission, in which Raiden, the Red Dragon, the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu tracked down Cassie and her team, and the events leading to Jacqui's injuries and the operation in which she was gifted with a pair of indestructible bionic implants.

Jax took several deep breaths. His little girl had been injured, but she was still alive. "Can you take me to her?"

"Can you stand?"

"I think so."

Sonya stood up, allowing Jax to swing his feet from the edge of the bed. Slowly, he stood up. He was a bit wobbly on his bare feet, but managed to keep a vertical base.

"Before we see Jacqui," Sonya paused to hand Jax a duffel bag, and pointed to the bathroom door, "clean yourself up." When Jax began to object, Sonya said, "Please don't have me make it a direct order, Briggs."

Jax grumbled to himself, but he did as he was told. Truth be told, a shower would do him some good, especially after the fight he had went through back in Earthrealm.

* * *

With Jacqui...

The last thing Jacqueline Briggs remembered before passing out from shock was the explosion that knocked her back, followed by Cassie screaming her name in horror. Then, as she passed out, the last thing she saw was Cassie, Ravenna, someone who looked a lot like Kitana and an unknown blonde woman working on her, trying to stabilize her injuries, with Raiden's laughter being the last thing she heard.

Jacqui opened her eyes, and found herself looking at an unknown ceiling. The sun's light was peering through the blinds, making the daughter of Jackson Briggs squint her eyes. She brought up her hand to shield her eyes...and blinked. Instead of flesh and blood, she found herself looking at the silvery finish of a bionic hand.

Jacqui sat up and looked at her new appendages, trying to remember the chain of events which led up to this point. Looking around, she saw that she was in a hospital room of sorts. Then, she turned back to her hands. From the shoulder on down, Jacqui had been grafted with indestructible bionic implants. Unlike her father's own mechanical arms, she can tell that these were even more advanced than the ones he had (think Jax's bionic arms from MK3, only more feminine).

She stopped looking at her arms in order to look around the room. It was a hospital room, Jacqui realized, and a private one to boot. A flat-screen TV was hanging from the wall. Reaching over to grab the remote, Jacqui pressed the power button, marveling at how her bionics felt like her old arms.

Sure enough, the TV came on, with the news playing.

"...are live in the conference room of Cage Incorporated, in which Chairman Johnny Cage will be arriving within the next twenty minutes to give his statement in regards to the terrorist attack that has taken place some three days earlier," the reporter said.

Jacqui frowned. 'Terrorist attack? Chairman? Cage Incorporated? The hell...? Is this the set of one of Uncle Johnny's movie? What is going on here?'

She shook her head. 'No...this isn't Earthrealm. Where am I?'

Getting out of the bed, she walked over to the door and tried the knob. Locked, if the red light above the knob meant anything. She considered testing out her new implants by punching through the door, but decided against it. Walking over to the window, Jacqui peeked through the blinds.

Outside, armed soldiers patrolled the grounds. And there was the massive aircraft carrier with the four massive turbine engines that was hovering overhead. And she could have sworn seeing men and women flying in the air. Jacqui turned from the window, closing the blinds behind her.

Had she remained at the window, she would had seen Spiderman crawling along the outside.

"Not much is known due to the media blackout, but we can confirm that there had been a terrorist attack on Cage Incorporated's main headquarters here in San Francisco," the reporter continued on. "We do know that Chairman Cage has been injured in the attack, which had been successfully repelled by a joint effort by the Army's Tactical Response Unit, led by General Sonya Blade, S.H.I.E.L.D., the X-Men and the Avengers."

Jacqui's frown deepened. Tactical Response Unit? 'At least the rank's right,' she thought. 'Wait...X-Men? Avengers? Where the hell am I? What's going on here? Where's Dad? And the others?!'

' **Uncle Jax is safe. Mom's with him. Takeda and Jin are in the next room.** '

Jacqui blinked. "Cassie?" she asked in disbelief as she looked around the room.

' **Yeah. It's me.** ' Cassie's voice was calm in Jacqui's mind. ' **Knock knock.** '

 **BEEP. CLICK.**

The door's magnetic locks disengaged. Then, the door opened, and in walked Cassandra Cage, just as Jacqui returned to the bed. Gone was the catsuit that Jacqui had seen her in during her fight with both her and Takeda. She was instead clad in her casual attire, now clean from her fight with Kano; red tanktop with the sleeveless jacket, black cargo pants and boots. The hip holsters were absent. Her hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, the dogtags around her neck. In her hand was a folded brown bag.

Accompanying her was Simon Williams, who had a look of concern on his face. Jacqui recognized him from back in Earthrealm, as he had witnessed the fight between herself, Takeda and Cassie.

But what really caught Jacqui's attention was the unmistakable smell of coffee that was drifting from the folded bag.

"Hey," Cassie said.

"Hey," Jacqui replied.

Cassie turned to Simon. "Give us the room, Simon."

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," Cassie said. "Go and wait outside."

Simon nodded and walked out of the room. A gesture of the hand and the folding chair was placed beside Jacqui's bed. Cassie walked over and sat down, placing the bag on the nightstand.

"My boyfriend," Cassie explained as she unfolded the bag and produced two styrofoam cups of black coffee. "He's a bit overprotective, but he means well." A small smile crept across her face as she handed Jacqui one of the cups. "Kinda ironic, the actor chasing after the military woman."

Jacqui said nothing as she accepted the cup. After removing the top, she took a sip.

"God, it's been three years since I tasted coffee," Jacqui said. "Is this your version of a peace offering?"

"That, and I know your weakness," Cassie replied. "You like coffee. How you holding up?"

"Remember when we both were corrupted by the Blood Code?" Jacqui asked. Upon seeing Cassie nod, Jacqui continued. "This was much, much worse. I was aware the whole time..."

"...but not in control," Cassie finished. "I know. It was the same for Mom."

"The things I've seen...what we all seen...what we've done in his name..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "Is is true? Did Kano kill my mother?"

"Yes. Both he and his bastard son were not quite subtle in that department," Cassie confirmed. "Raiden ordered the hit on Aunt Vera. Kano did it not only because he was ordered to, but because he hated Uncle Jax's guts. Don't worry about Kano. I killed him. Mom killed Darren." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Jacqui. I failed you. All of you."

Jacqui looked at Cassie's downtrodden face. But she kept her silence.

"I know that being a leader means that sometimes you lose...but that's not a price I wanted to pay," Cassie continued. "I know I can't save everyone but..." She sighed. "Raiden played with my pride. And I fell for it. I hadn't realized at the time...that he had corrupted you and the others, leaving both me and Dad for last."

Jacqui nodded. "I know. You two were the biggest threats. Beating Shinnok's face in proved that."

"Raiden sent Mom to subdue Dad, while I was sent after what I thought was Shang Tsung." Cassie's thousand-yard stare made Jacqui flinch. "I killed an innocent man, Jacqui. Only when I didn't report in to the Sky Temple, did Raiden sent the Lin Kuei after me."

Jacqui nodded. "I know. You managed to beat down the Lin Kuei assault team. Raiden was mad when he found out that not only you managed escape the trip, but that Fujin aided in your escape."

Cassie's blood ran cold. "Is Fujin...?"

Jacqui shook her head. "No. He's not dead. Raiden had him locked away in Seido before ordering his transfer to..." Jacqui shuddered. "...Shang Tsung's Island."

Cassie groaned. If there was one place in Earthrealm that she hated with a passion, it was that damned island. But she had to get this off her chest. "After Fujin explained what had happened, he sent me to Macau, where I was able to escape." She took a sip of her own coffee. "Dad saw it coming. He knew that this would happen."

"Uncle Johnny knew?"

Cassie nodded. "A sorcerer from this realm warned him about Raiden going nuts. Even told him that I would go on to beat Shinnok while he was on his Jinsei high. Kinda took the thrill outta it once Dad told me."

Jacqui then noticed something on Cassie's dogtags. It was kinda hard to miss. A ring, hanging from the chain. "What's that?" she asked.

Cassie looked down at the ring. She removed the chain from around her neck and handed it to Jacqui, allowing her friend to take a closer look.

"This is a West Point graduation ring," Jacqui said. She frowned. "Wait a sec...Aunt Sonya and Dad both went to the U.S. Naval Academy before accepting a commission into the Marines. Then Aunt Sonya and Dad both transferred to the Army. This can't be Aunt Sonya's ring."

"It isn't. It's mine."

Jacqui looked at her friend in shock. "You're an officer?"

Cassie took the ring and dogtags back, and regarded the ring. "Kinda ironic when I think about it. I first signed on, but I didn't go for the commission out of spite. Here, I managed to nab a scholarship and I asked Mom for her blessings." She placed the ring and tags back around her neck. "Up until three days ago, I was a First Lieutenant. Now, I'm a Captain. Battlefield promotion." She sighed. "Can't believe I'm quoting Dad, but he does have a point. Being one of Earthrealm's chosen is a lot easier when the when the pressure isn't all around you." She gently shook the coffee cup. "When the coffee isn't hot. And when you don't know first-hand the kind of people you're fighting for."

"You've been haunted by guilt," Jacqui said. "Like me."

"Yeah," Cassie said. You have no idea how long I've lived with the guilt of not being able to stop Raiden from corrupting you and the others. Up until a couple of days ago, I managed to achieve absolution from Shijinko for killing him."

Jacqui's bionic hand reached over and gently grabbed Cassie's own. "Cass...it wasn't your fault. Raiden ruined our lives. We thought the nightmare was over with Shinnok and the revenants. Turns out that some nightmares are worse than others." Something then clicked inside her head. "Back in Earthrealm...was that...?"

Cassie nodded, relieved that Jacqui didn't blame her for running. "Liu Kang and Princess Kitana," she confirmed. "Back from the dead. They both run the Red Lotus, a clan of assassins and secret agents. And they're the good guys. Raiden's put a hit out on not only the both of them, but on Mom and Dad."

Jacqui nodded. She then looked around. "Where are we? Is this a set from one of Uncle Johnny's movies."

"Nope. You're in the Medical Wing of Cage Incorporated," Cassie confirmed, a smile creeping on her lips. "And just last night, it was Ground Zero when Kano attacked the place." She smiled. "Dad's not an actor here. He's an industrialist. He just retired from fighting in the ring to focus more on the business...which he built using S-F tech."

Jacqui groaned. "Aunt Sonya's gonna kill him when she finds out..."

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "That would be the case...if she wasn't already a partner in the business, albeit a secret one. A lot has happened since we've last seen each other."

"So it's true then? Raiden said something about it being nineteen years for you and the others...?"

"Whereas its been three years Earthrealm time. It sucked going through puberty again. But in the end, Mom and Dad reconciled and remarried, Mom and I are getting along better now, and I got a baby sister out of the deal."

Jacqui did the math in her head. "You were about to turn twenty-three." Her eyes widened at the revelation.

"Add the nineteen years, and you get forty-one. Yeah, I'm old enough to be..." Cassie immediately caught herself. "I'm that old. Here, officially, I'm twenty-five." Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "But I'm still young, compared to some of the more colorful characters in this realm. Here's there's no Elder Gods. No Mortal Kombat. Just a wide assortment of superheroes, mutants – of which Ravenna and I are, and what Takeda himself qualifies as – and supervillains."

"Mutants? Like the Tarkarta?"

Cassie shook her head. "Mutants, or as Professor X and Erik like to style themselves, 'homo superior.' A human with unique abilities."

"Guess that explains why you're a telepath like Takeda and his dad."

"Speaking of Takeda, both he and Jin are in the next room. Mom's sitting in with Uncle Jax." Cassie looked at Jacqui's arms. "How do they feel?" she asked, tapping one of the arms with her hand.

Jacqui found herself looking back down at her hands. "They feel kinda weird, yet they feel like my old arms," she admitted.

"You can thank Dad for giving the order to have those fitted onto you. And me, since I had a friend look over the schematics. They're a lot more advanced than the ones Uncle Jax has. S-F and Lin Kuei tech at its finest." Her head then turned to the door. "Speaking of Uncle Jax..."

The door opened and Jax entered the room, followed by Sonya. The Briggs patriarch was clean from his shower, clad in a simple tanktop, a pair of combat fatigues and combat boots.

Cassie rose to her feet. "Uncle Jax."

"Cassie," Jax responded.

Crossing the distance, Cassie embraced the older man. Jax's bionic arms engulfed the smaller woman. Sonya stood by and watched this scene unfold. Cassie was always close to Jax, even when growing up.

"You did good, Sergeant," Jax said. "Real good."

Cassie didn't need to use her powers to see that Jax was talking about avenging Vera. Well, that, and getting them out of Earthrealm. "I'm not a Sergeant, Uncle Jax," she replied. "It's Captain."

Now Jax was surprised. "Captain?" he repeated.

Cassie broke free of the embrace. "Captain Cassandra C. Cage, U.S. Army Special Forces, Tactical Response Unit." She pointed to Sonya. "Once again, I'm under her command."

"A lot has changed, Jax," Sonya said.

Jax turned back to his daughter. Now wearing a pair of hospital scrubs, Jax took notice of the bionic implants that had been grafted onto her body. Sonya walked over and sat on the edge of Jacqui's bed. Without a word, the older woman embraced the younger woman who was like a second – well, third daughter – to her in all but blood.

Jacqui hugged her back. Sure Sonya may had been a total hard-ass. Even more so when she was under her command, but she was still family.

"I've missed you so much, Jacqueline," Sonya said. "Are you okay?"

"I feel like I've been put through a blender," Jacqui replied. "Not counting what I've been through since you, Cassie and Uncle Johnny fled."

"Once Takeda and Jin awaken, you can give us a full debrief," Sonya said. She turned to Cassie. "Stay with her, Cass. Jax and I need to talk."

Cassie nodded. "Sure, Mom."

Sonya frowned. "It's General, Captain. You're on the clock," she scolded, her tone showing a bit of amusement.

Cassie waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, General Mom. Just go."

"I see that Cassie still has Johnny's attitude," Jax said as he and Sonya left the room.

Sonya shrugged her shoulders. "At least she looks more like me than anything. But she's a lot tougher than she was back In Earthrealm. In this realm, you gotta be." She pulled out her PDA and fired off a text to Mey. "Come on. Cafeteria's two floors down. Mey's gonna meet us there with breakfast. I'll give you a brief run-down of what's what here."

"Oh, I seriously can't wait to hear how Johnny pulled this off," Jax snorted.

* * *

In his office, Johnny Cage sneezed. "Someone's talking about me," he muttered as he looked himself over in the mirror.


	33. 23: Reunions, Part Two

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Reunions, Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: It's been a year since I've started this fanfic. And There Was Much Rejoicing (yaay...). The next chapter will be the conclusion of the Reuinions segment of the story. I will then follow with a pair of side stories; the first detailing the Exiled Kombatants in the Secret Invasion arc, followed by Sonya fighting Ms. Marvel.

At the Red Lotus Compound...

Kitana was waiting in the hallway when Sindel emerged from her bedroom, clad in a simple summer dress. No words were exchanged as the daughter led her mother down the hallway, out of the main house, and into the courtyard.

Sindel looked around the surrounding area. The Red Lotus compound was nowhere near the size of the old palace in the Edenian capital, but it was...homely. Guards saluted Kitana as they passed, Kitana responding with a simple nod of the head. Some even addressed Sindel as 'Honored Mother.'

"Word travels fast within the Red Lotus," Kitana had explained. "They knew of the mission into the Netherrealm. They know who you and the others are."

Sindel said nothing, but nodded.

"It is almost time for the midday meal," Kitana said. "We will join Liu and the others in the courtyard." Kitana stopped and turned around. Sindel looked pensive, a stark contrast to what she had looked liked as a revenant some days earlier. "Mother, calm down. I told you that Nightwolf and the others do not blame you for their deaths."

Sindel sighed. "I know. It's just...this is too much to take in."

Kitana nodded in sympathy. "I know. I was like this after Jade resurrected both Liu and myself. You're not alone in this."

Sindel nodded and both mother and daughter resumed their trek to the courtyard. The exiled royals had arrived moments after Kung Lao and Smoke, and the former revenants were settling in for the midday meal, having arrived from various locations within the compound.

Two long tables was procurred and set out, complete with chairs. Stewards were setting down various Chinese dishes on the tables, along with pitchers of ice-cold water.

Sareena was the first to arrive. While she still wore her old attire back in her days in the Netherrealm, the Brotherhood of Shadow's sigil was absent. The heavy eye markings were also gone, yet she still retained her black lipstick. Nightwolf was the second to arrive, looking nineteen years older, with his graying hair now cut short. The facepaint was absent, as was his vest, as he chose instead a black tanktop to go with the denim pants and boots. Spreading across his back, was the tattoo of a wolf's head, which was peeking through the cloth.

What was suprising, however, was Kurtis Stryker and Kabal. Sure the Elder Gods had promised to restore Kabal to life, with the added bonus of healing his body from the horrific immolation he had suffered at Kintaro's hands, but there was an unexpected bonus.

Sindel had heard that Cassie Cage's mutant abilities had begun to manifest once she had stepped through the portal to this realm. She had also heard of how both her parents had de-aged alongside their daughter, their bodies becoming younger.

What had happened to the Cage family had somehow, happened to both Stryker and Kabal. Instead of aging, they both looked the same as the day Shao Kahn had invaded Earthrealm. Both men were clad in their respective outfits, now clean, save that Stryker had left his police-issued cap inside his room. Kitana could almost see the gears working in Liu's head.

Lao, for his part, was griping that "some folks have all the luck," much to the amusement of Liu, Smoke and Nightwolf as they sat down. Nightwolf seems to have taken his extra years with a grain of salt.

Sindel was the first to take a seat, her seat beside Kitana's. Liu sat down next to his wife. The others settled in.

The food was good, Sindel realized. Not as good as Edenian cusine, but it was good. All the while, Liu and Kitana were explaining to them about the major players in this new Earthrealm, both good and bad.

"From the way you tell it," Kabal said, "the people here are even more powerful than Raiden, Shinnok and Quan Chi combined."

Liu nodded. "Cassandra and Ravenna Cage being among them. Their telepathy and telekinesis can put even the late Kenshi and his son to shame. Add the fact that they are the hosts of the Phoenix Force, and the threat rises exponentially."

Kitana mentally shuddered. "Be thankful that you did not see what Liu and I had seen back in Earthrealm. Had Cassandra had those powers, she would not had taken so long to best Shinnok, let alone us."

"I've heard stories about the Phoenix back in the Lin Kuei," Smoke noted. "Both Kuai and myself thought that the legends were just that. Legends."

"Believe me when I say that the legend of the Phoenix Force is true," Liu said. "All of it. Beautiful, yet terrifying. The power of life and death itself at your fingertips."

Nightwolf snorted. "Quan Chi wouldn't have liked that. Had Cassandra had those powers, she would had likely offered to return us to life."

"An offer I would have taken without a heartbeat," Lao added, with the others nodding in the affirmative. The past twenty-plus years as revenants had left them with a bad taste in their mouths. They had spent most of the morning coming to terms with their past deeds.

"And after all this time, General Blade was not assigned to track the Red Lotus down?" Sareena asked.

"No, thank the gods," Kitana replied. "Both her and Johnny honored the non-aggression pact that we had brokered all those years ago. Any unwanted attention would ultimately lead to our past in Earthrealm being exposed."

"Which would lead to even more unwanted attention," Stryker deduced. "Both from the heroes and villains alike. Then again, Johnny and Sonya both got their hands full in dealing with keeping the X-Men and the Avengers from strongarming their daughters."

"They did a good job of of it, for a while at least," Lao said.

"So is S.H.I.E.L.D. going to cause problems down the line?" Nightwolf asked.

"Hopefully not," Liu replied. "Some of the rank-and-file actually condones our actions. But now that we're exposed, we need to be even more careful." He turned to Stryker and Kabal. "Since you two have not aged, we can use that to our advantage, should you decide to join the Red Lotus."

The supercop and the former Black Dragon shared a glance before turning back to Liu and Kitana. "We're game," the former said.

"We got informants and spies in various locations all over the planet," Kitana explained. "Including New York. We can certainly benefit from having another pair of eyes and ears in the N.Y.P.D."

"In the meantime," Liu said, "I'm sending four of you to San Francisco to help with the planning." He turned to Nightwolf. "You were by Raiden's side as his right-hand man for many years before your death. You know how he thinks."

"Say no more, Liu Kang," Nightwolf said. "I will go."

Liu nodded. "Stryker, Kabal and Smoke shall accompany you. Lao will go, but only to make his peace with Jin. I need him back here to help with the planning and training the warriors. We got less than two weeks before Raiden fully recovers. We better make them count."

Nightwolf then asked, "Can the Cage family be trusted?"

Liu nodded. "Yes. While the animosity between us has simmered down in the past years, both Johnny and Sonya don't blame us for what has happened. Johnny, for his part, blamed himself for a long time for not doing more when Kahn invaded Earthrealm, a sentiment shared with Sonya. The only thing we can do is own up to our sins and move on."

Nightwolf accepted the answer and the lunch continued on.

* * *

With Cassie and Jacqui...

The look on her old friend's face was something that Cassie expected. She could almost seen Jax's face mirroring that of Jacqui's once Sonya was finished explaining everything to him.

Honestly, Jacqui still thought that she was on the set of one of Johnny's movies. This had to be a fake, right?

Then, Cassie showed Jacqui her memories of the past nineteen years, of Johnny using S-F tech to build Cage Incorporated. Sonya was smart enough not to let Johnny use some of the more dangerous pieces of tech, though.

Jacqui, for her part, was flabbergasted. Not only was her friend a telepath (one even more powerful than Takeda and Kenshi combined), but her uncle in all but blood was not acting. Well, technically, he was acting the role of the industrialist, but still...

That, and Cassie was nearly twenty years older than her, yet save for her hair, she looked the same. But the eyes had that same fire that she saw in Sonya. The same intensity Jacqui had seen during her and Takeda's fight with the former sergeant. That intensity mixed with wisdom that came with age.

Honestly, for Cassie, she looked good for a forty-one year-old.

"The benefit of de-aging some sixteen years," Cassie mused. "Going through puberty again sucked, though. Add the fact that I'm a mutant, and going through a period can be very...challenging."

Jacqui chuckled. "I'll bet," she said. She looked around. "I still don't believe this," she added, motioning the room around her. "I mean, Uncle Johnny becoming a businessman."

"Mom and I said the same thing when Dad wanted to make a change," Cassie said. "But he's done a damn good job of it. I guess I can see why he wanted to start up this business. While he loved the film industry, it was starting to take a toll on him, even after thirty-plus years in the business. That was the main reason why he decided to form Team S-F as a distraction. He needed a break."

"Did he ever go back?"

Cassie shook her head. "Dad is officially retired from show business. He likes the industrialist gig a lot better, despite the intrigue that comes with it."

The door to the hospital room opened, Cassie and Jacqui turning their attention to Johnny Cage, having entered the room. Clad in a simple three-piece suit, black with the shirt white, the top button undone, he moved with a purpose. Jacqui was surprised to see the change in Cassie's father. He was more serious, but still retained the devil-may-care attitude that pissed her dad off. Blue eyes showed seriousness and an intensity that had not been seen for him since the Netherrealm War.

"You always said that you wanted to be like your dad," Johnny noted in a semi-humorous tone. He gestured to the bionic arms. "But I think that's pushing it." He smiled. "How you feel, kiddo?"

"Like I've been through Hell and back," Jacqui replied.

"From what I've heard, I believe it," the Cage patriarch replied. "I'm glad to see that you're okay. All of you. More or less."

"You're heading for the conference?" Cassie asked.

Johnny nodded. "Gonna meet up with Stark and Hill on the way there. Then we'll head on over. Jin's already awake. Takeda's still out. Once he's awake, they will need to be checked out. Doc Richards and Doc McCoy will look them over. Once that's done, take Jacqui to the Science building so that she can have her arms calibrated."

Cassie nodded. "Mom's gonna debrief them afterward?"

"After the conference is over. Liu and Kitana are sending a couple of Red Lotus representatives over to help with the planning."

Cassie groaned. "You do remember that the revenants kidnapped you and tried to kill us, right?"

Now Jacqui was worried. "The revenants are here?"

"Ex-revenants," amended Johnny. "They've been brought back to life by the Elder Gods. Honestly, they just want to be rid of them as they remind them of Raiden."

"I still don't like it," Jacqui said. "They tried to kill us, as Cassie pointed out. Can you trust Liu Kang and Kitana?"

"They haven't killed us yet," Johnny replied. "And they warned us when Shang Tsung tracked them down. And Raiden hates us as much as he does the Princess and her boy-toy."

"Even more so for Ravenna and me," Cassie noted. "We did burn him alive."

"He had it coming," her father replied. "Plus, you gave us two weeks to mount a counterattack. More than enough time for us to come up with a plan."

"Excuse me, Chairman?" Mey poked her head inside the room. "We need to go."

Johnny nodded. With a pat on Jacqui's shoulder, he left the room.

* * *

With Jax and Sonya...

On their way to the cafeteria, Sonya and Jax ran into T'Challa and Storm.

Three days after the mission into Earthrealm and the fight against Jax had left the Black Panther with a sore jaw and a concussion. He had spent most of that time on the horn with his ministers, warning them of the impending war, and to raise the kingdom's defenses following the war council meeting between SHIELD and the Avengers.

The Wakandan King was in his uniform, save that the mask was in one hand. Storm was also dressed for battle, but for the moment, it was down time for the royal couple. They had just left the cafeteria, and were on their way back to the floor reserved for the Avengers.

"General Blade," T'Challa greeted. To Jax, he said, "Major Briggs."

Jax frowned. "Wait...I remember you. That voice..."

"I was your opponent alongside Luke Cage," T'Challa explained. He pointed to the gashes on Jax's bionic arm. "That is my handiwork right there."

"Jax, this is T'Challa, King of Wakanda, also known as the Black Panther," Sonya introduced. "And this is his wife, Queen Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm. T'Challa, Ororo, my former C.O. Jackson Briggs."

Jax nodded. "Sir. Ma'am," he said in respect.

"Sonya and Cassandra both speak highly of you," Storm said. Her expression then fell. "You have our condolences in regards to your wife. She sounded extraordinary, by how Sonya and Cassie described her."

"She was," Jax replied, somber. "At least now, she can rest." He turned to T'Challa. "So Cassie sent you after me?"

The Wakandan Avenger nodded. "Both myself and Luke, while she dealt with your daughter and Takeda. Her concerns in regards that you were the bigger threat were not unfounded."

Jax's brow furrowed. "How did the other guy survive an anti-tank rocket without a scratch?"

"Aside from the superhuman strength, impenetrable skin," Sonya explained. "I've seen Luke get crushed between two transit buses and the only thing he complained about was his jacket being ruined."

"It was a nice jacket," Luke's voice said from behind Jax and Sonya. "It was a gift from my wife."

Jax and Sonya turned around, Jax nearly doing a double-take upon seeing the Hero for Hire. Sonya caught her longtime friend's gaffe and nodded. "Yeah, I had that same reaction the first time I saw him."

For Jax, it was looking into a mirror. Luke reminded him of his revenant form.

Luke nodded. "Yeah. I got the same vibe when Johnny showed me and Danny his memories." He extended his hand. "Luke Cage, Avenger and Hero for Hire."

Jax shook it. "Jackson Briggs."

"You have my condolences in regards to Vera," Luke added. "Cassie did the whole world a service in putting Kano down."

"Your patrol is finished?" T'Challa asked.

Luke nodded. He had volunteered to patrol the grounds of Cage Incorporated along with some of his fellow Avengers, and his watch was finished. "Yeah. Gonna call Jessica and check-up on her and Danielle. Then I'm gonna relax for a bit." He turned to Sonya. "I almost forgot. Doc Strange and Magik tried to destroy that damned Amulet that Cassie had swiped from Raiden. So far, no dice."

Jax spun on Sonya. "Cassie stole Shinnok's Amulet from Raiden?"

Sonya nodded. "Anything else?"

"Well, the two sorcerers managed to place some powerful wards on the damn thing, and plan on sealing it away so that no one can get their hands on it," Luke continued.

Sonya snorted. "I told them to seal the amulet in the first place. That thing is like a homing beacon for any bad guy looking to use its power. And Mavado?"

"Mavado?" Jax parroted. "Cassie managed to capture Daegon's second-in-command?"

"Yup," confirmed Luke. "This was after she barbecued Raiden after he had injured her best friend."

Jax turned to Sonya, who shrugged her shoulders. "Cassie's pretty effective. Even more so back when she was a Sergeant." To the three heroes, Sonya asked, "Anything from Mavado?"

Storm shook his head. "Nothing. We have him locked away in a special Hulk-proof cell. He's been silent ever Cassie brought him here. Director Hill has even tried to have Agent Hood probe his mind, but there are powerful mental blocks in place."

Sonya nodded. "I'll have Cassie come in and see if she can make him crack. If you excuse us, I need to catch up with Jax."

Luke, Panther, and Storm nodded, and Sonya and Jax ventured to the cafeteria, while Luke, T'Challa and his wife, went their own separate ways.

* * *

With Liu Kang...

Liu found Sindel at the private meditation grounds. Following the midday meal, Sindel had wandered off, needing some time to herself, but not before telling her daughter that she wanted to have a word with her (somewhat) new son-in-law. With some time left before the news conference, Liu decided to indulge the former Edenian Queen.

"I see that some things never change," Sindel said as Liu approached, the older woman looking at the intricate carving of the Mortal Kombat dragon on the letdai.

"A reminder of my upbringing...of my past," Liu admitted. "Before I died the first time."

Sindel sighed. "I know the others don't blame me for what had happened back in Earthrealm...but I still can't forgive myself for what I have done. I have blood on my hands, Liu Kang."

"As do I," Liu admitted. "I've done horrible things as a revenant. This, you already know. I've killed in Shinnok's name. The first year after Jade revived both Kitana and myself, we would both wake up screaming from the nightmares. I even came close to committing suicide once, but Jade stopped me, telling me that if I die, then Kitana would be left alone. Despite everything, she is in some cases more fragile than me."

"I blame her upbringing under Shao Kahn. I blame him for many things."

Liu scoffed. "I think it's safe to say that Raiden's actions have dwarfed those of Shao Kahn as of late."

After a brief silence, Sindel asked, "Do you hate me? For what I've done?"

Liu took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Back when I was blindly following Raiden...yes, I did. For a time. But seeing the bodies of our friends...and Kitana dying in my arms...that trust shattered completely." He looked at his mother-in-law. "We all were being manipulated, be it Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, or even Shinnok. Even Raiden manipulated me into becoming his champion, to fight in his war against Outworld and the Netherrealm."

The former Shaolin exhaled. "But after Kitana and I settled here, I had plenty of time to think and reflect. First off, my own death was my fault, as no one – not even Sonya Blade or Johnny Cage – saw that coming. Second...I've forgiven you a long time ago for what you have done. And Kitana can tell you that I can hold a grudge."

Sindel nodded. "Thank you, Liu Kang." After a moment, she decided to change the subject. "So...married?"

Liu nodded. "Nineteen years," he confirmed. "I told Kitana that I would like to get to know her better under different circumstances." He gestured to the compound. "This doesn't get as close to that."

"From what I have seen, both here and back in the Netherrealm," Sindel noted, "the both of you are good for each other. Had things been different, Jerrod would had approved of you as well."

"Thank you."

Sindel turned to Liu and placed one hand on his shoulder. "Although it's a bit redundant...you have my blessings." Her voice took on a steel-like tone as she squeezed Liu's shoulder with surprising strength, making him wince slightly. "But be warned, Liu Kang. I may not have been the best mother to my daughter, but Kitana is still my flesh and blood. If you dishonor her in any way, shape, or form, then I will scream your fucking brains out of your skull."

While Liu Kang did not fear any man, his mother-in-law made a small silver of fear run down his spine. The last thing Liu wanted to do was to invoke the fury of a woman who had effortlessly slaughtered most of Raiden's champions in a single go. Granted that she had been powered up by Shang Tsung and his souls, but still.

"If I dishonor Kitana," Liu stated in a calm tone, "then you won't have to worry about that. I'll let Kitana do the honors herself."

Sindel nodded and removed her hand from his shoulder. " **Good boy** ," she said in Edenian, giving Liu's shoulder a pat before turning on her heel and walking back towards the main house.

Liu shuddered. Had he been a lesser man, then he would had voided his bowels. Thankfully, he was made of sterner stuff. 'By the Gods,' he thought as he followed the path back to the main building. 'Johnny Cage was right. Women can be scary.'

* * *

On his way to the cafeteria, Johnny sneezed again. "Bless you," Mey said.

Johnny nodded his thanks. 'Who in the hell is talking about me?' he wondered.

* * *

With Jax and Sonya...

Even now, as Sonya explained everything to Jax, he didn't believe it. The alternative Earth, sure. The fact that Sonya had not only remarried Johnny, had a second kid with him, that's pushing it. But the fact that Johnny was no longer an actor, and that he became a billionaire industrialist, having built his business using S-F tech?

That really shocked him.

After Jax had cleaned himself up, both her and Sonya checked in on Jacqui. Jax had to admit that the bionics that Johnny had ordered grafted upon her were sleek, radically advanced. That, and he thanked Cassie for avenging his murdered wife.

The medical building's cafeteria was empty, which allowed Sonya and Jax some private time, Sonya explaining the circumstances which led to her, Johnny and Cassie coming here. Mey had returned with breakfast for herself and Jax, Sonya knowing full well that he would be ravenous following being freed from Raiden's corruption, and Mey left to find Johnny.

"So...let me see if I got everything down pat," Jax said as he finished off his breakfast, all the while Sonya sipped on her coffee. "This version of Earthrealm has no Mortal Kombat, but it does have superheroes and supervillains, and mutants, of which Cassie and Ravenna both her and what Takeda could be labeled as, right?"

Sonya nodded.

"And both Cassie and Ravenna are the hosts of a cosmic entity that is the embodiment of life and death, right? That's the reason why the X-Men and the Avengers are fighting over her?"

Another nod as Sonya took another sip of her coffee. "Up until Shang Tsung tracked us down and brought Kano along. Johnny took a gamble in letting the Avengers and the X-Men know about our past. The Tarkarta's body that Liu and Kitana brought over..."

"Wait..go back. Liu and Kitana are here?" Jax asked. He knew that the former revenants were alive, but not in the same realm as the fugitive Cage family.

Sonya nodded. "Believe it or not, Liu's an assassin working alongside Kitana. They run the Red Lotus Society, a clan based in China. Don't worry. They're the good guys, but up until yesterday, we kept our distance. Bad blood with them being former revenants and all." Sonya then gave Jax a brief explanation as to the circumstances of both Liu and Kitana being here due to the machinations of the late Jade.

"Mey, Johnny's secretary? She's Red Lotus," Sonya continued. "Liu and Kitana sent her here in order to make sure that we didn't pose a threat. Johnny knew that she was a spy from the get-go. Not everyone can speak Edenian, which is what tipped him off."

Jax raised an eyebrow. "Johnny speaks Edenian?"

"Yup. Although I wish I could've been there when Kitana and Jade found out. Cassie and I had a real good laugh at that when Johnny showed us the memory. Johnny keeps her around not only as his secretary, but also as a liaison just in case we need to contact Liu and Kitana."

"Guess that explains why Raiden kept Shang Tsung around," Jax mulled. He looked around the place. "I still can't believe any of this."

"You mean Cage Incorporated being Johnny's brainchild?"

"No. That you married him again."

"I can't believe it myself. And I was the one who proposed...kind of." The lavender-eyed general sighed. "The first time we married...I was pregnant with Cassie, and we both agreed that we didn't want a child out of wedlock. Looking back now, I can admit that I screwed up with both Johnny and Cassie. Being committed to S-F and my problems opening up emotionally to him was the reasons why we divorced."

"So what, he didn't divorce you?"

"No. I divorced him. When Raiden corrupted me and sent me to subdue Johnny...he didn't have to take me with both him and Cassie. But I'm glad that he did." She finished off her coffee. "After I recovered from the corruption, we both agreed to start over. It's not everyday that you change from a 51-year-old to a 21-year-old in the blink of an eye."

"I'm jealous," Jax said. "You're seventy and you look better than me, not to mention older."

Sonya chuckled. "I know. In your case, you can pass for forty. Anyway, I was still recovering from the corruption, and Johnny and I took the time to clear the air between us. Now that I was technically dead alongside Johnny and Cassie, it made things a lot easier."

"Raiden nearly blew a gasket when Johnny and Cassie fled, and took you along," Jax said. "He didn't take the fact that Johnny, of all people, outsmarted him."

"Being a Cage means that being unpredictable is a must," Sonya said. "No one expected either Johnny or Cassie to beat Shinnok. Anyway...Johnny and I talked, while Cassie got the hang of her powers. It was easier...me no longer being in command of S-F, and Johnny no longer acting. I admitted to being a total bitch to both him and Cassie, and he admitted to being a total ass. Guess we both had some growing up to do. But the person that I hurt the most was Cassie. Johnny convinced Cassie to give me another chance."

Jax nodded. Sonya's relationship with Cassie had been rocky at best. But things had been starting to look up following Shinnok's defeat. Until Raiden began to corrupt his champions. "How he'd pull that off?"

"He quoted me verbatim," Sonya replied. "About me sacrificing Cassie's childhood. Back when the girls were kidnapped by the Black Dragon, I confessed my sins, and he told Cassie."

"Guess having him for a husband does have some benefits," Jax muttered.

"Johnny saw it coming," confessed Sonya. "A sorcerer from this realm warned him of not only Raiden's corruption, but also said that Cassie would go on and defeat Shinnok." she paused. "We all failed at one point. Johnny tried to warn me of Raiden's corruption, and I refused to listen. Cassie failed her team when she was forced to flee and has blood on her hands for killing Shujinko, and Johnny's been kicking himself in making the decision to run."

"He made a judgment call," Jax said. "Cut your losses and withdraw."

"I told him the same thing. Despite training Team S-F and Cassie, he feels responsible. 'Sometimes in order to lead, you must lose.' We lost so much, Jax. But we managed to start over, and rebuild. Granted there were a few bumps down the line, but we're still together. He still pisses me off plenty, but when it comes down to what matters, he always has my back."

"How did you convince Cassie to pursue a commission?"

"She qualified for a commission to West Point. We talked about it for a while down at Land's End. I pushed her to pursue a commission back in Earthrealm, and she decided to become a NGO out of spite. Looking back now, that was one of the reasons why I was so hard on her, the other being that her attitude reminded me of her father. Here, she asked for my blessings."

"Before Raiden corrupted us, Jacqui came to me. Said she was flirting with the idea of attending O.C.S. She told me before she decided to talk to you about it. Guess Raiden brought those plans to a halt."

Now Sonya was surprised.

Jax hesitated before he asked his next question. "How did you escape Raiden's corruption?"

"Raiden sent me to subdue Johnny," Sonya explained. "I didn't know that Cassie had been hiding at his place for the past several days. I thought I was distracting him when I tried to seduce him. But he was the one distracting me long enough for Cassie to pistol-whip me in the face. When I came to, I was in Kamar-Taj, thirty years younger, but still under Raiden's corruption. Yao freed me of the brainwashing soon afterward. Between being purged of Raiden's corruption and being inflicted with the Blood Code, I'd choose the latter. Less painful."

"That bad, huh? Try being a revenant." Again, Jax looked around the cafeteria. "To think that Johnny built all of this using S-F tech..." He looked at Sonya. "And I'm surprised that you let that asshole do that."

"Watch it. That's my husband you're insulting," Sonya warned.

Jax paused. Back in Earthrealm, it was she who usually ranted about Johnny's shortcomings as a husband and as a father following their divorce. Now, she was defending him. Jax didn't know whether or not she was being serious or not.

"And that's Chairman Asshole to you," a third voice added.

Sonya and Jax turned to face the Cage patriarch, having entered the cafeteria. And he was not along. Flanking him was Tony Stark, looking as dapper in his own expensive suit, the Japanese woman from before, and a teenage girl who looked a lot like Cassie when she was eighteen, save that her hair was the same color as her father's with red streaks.

Jax frowned. "Cage."

Johnny's expression changed that to mirror Jax's own. "Jax."

Even more surprising was that Johnny didn't call him 'Tin Man,' 'Metal Man,' or whatever lame nickname that pissed him off, something that Jax took notice.

"You still owe me for the broken jaw," Johnny said in a dry tone. Sonya rolled her eyes.

"What? No 'Tin Man' or 'Metal Man' from you?" Jax sneered.

Johnny's response was to jerk a thumb towards Stark. "That's actually him," he replied, ignoring the stink eye from Stark.

"That's Iron Man to you, Cage," Stark snarled.

Johnny ignored Stark as his expression then turned somber. "I'm sorry about Vera. What Kano done to her..."

"Cassie did right by me and Jacqui regarding that," Jax replied. He then added, albeit hesitantly, "Thanks."

"Although it's a bit late," Johnny continued, "Welcome to Cage Incorporated's Main Headquarters. You and the others did miss the battle between us and Kano, and the aftermath."

"I know. I heard bits and pieces from Raiden the first time around," confirmed Jax. "Sonya's been filling me in on the details."

"You're on your way to the conference?" Sonya asked.

Johnny nodded. He then gestured to Tony. "Figured that having Stark by my side would show the severity of the situation. Coulda went with Mr. Stars and Stripes, but Stark is more subtle. Of course, we both had to go through the official explanation as to why the Black Dragon attacked the place."

"So he knows about you and the others...?" Jax asked, pointing to Stark.

"He does," Sonya confirmed. "Jax, this is Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Enterprises, rival to Cage Incorporated, and an Avenger. Tony, my former C.O. and family friend, Jackson Briggs."

Tony nodded. "Major."

Jax nodded in response. He turned to Ravenna. "And you must be Ravenna. You look a lot like Cassie back when she was eighteen."

Ravenna nodded. "Mom and Dad told me about you. You taught Mom how to fight. Dad's impression of you was less flattering."

Jax gave Johnny the stink eye. "Why am I not surprised?"

Johnny ignored him. He looked at his watch. "Stark and I gotta go. Sit back and watch an old hand at work."

Jax rolled his eyes as Ravenna took a seat alongside her mother and Jax. Johnny, Mey and Stark walked out of the cafeteria.

* * *

Outside of the conference room, Johnny, Tony and Mey met Maria Hill. Inside the press conference room was a mob of reporters waiting for the arrival of the Chairman of Cage Incorporated.

"Bless you," Tony Stark said, following Johnny sneezing. "You're not coming down with something, are you?"

Johnny shook his head. "No. Someone's talking about me again."

"Glad to see that I'm not the only one who suffers under that phenomenon," the superhero noted. "Could be a superhero or some bad guy of the week cursing me."

"Could be both," Mey muttered.

Johnny chuckled while Stark rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Not helping, Mey," the younger man scolded as the trio stood before the closed double doors that led to the conference hall, where the reporters were now gathered for the press conference.

"I don't know, Stark," Johnny said. "I'd think both Mey and Pepper would get along pretty well."

Stark snorted. "Excluding the fact that your secretary/assistant is a member of an organization of assassins and agents."

"I prefer the term 'special liaison,'" Mey defended in a humorous tone. "More respectable."

Johnny turned to Mey. "That reminds me. You've gone above and beyond the call of duty ever since this mess began. Even after learning of Jade's death, you've done your duty. I appreciate it. My wife and daughters also appreciate it. I'll be sure to tell Liu and Kitana about everything you have done."

Mey nodded in response. "Just doing my job, Chairman."

"When this is over," Johnny continued, "I'm giving you a bonus, and a two-week vacation, of which I'll pay out of my own pocket."

Mey beamed. "Thank you, sir."

Johnny closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Opening his eyes, he exhaled and turned to both Maria and Stark. "Ready?"

The Iron Avenger and the S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander both nodded.

Johnny turned from the duo, gripped the doorknob and turned it, pushing it open. "Showtime."


	34. 24: Reunions, Conclusion

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Reunions, Conclusion**

Snafu's Notes: Okay, okay, I know that I said that this would be the last part of the Reunions chapters before working on the two Side Stories, but after I ran this through LibreOffice, I discovered that I had at least thirty pages of material here. So I'm gonna add one more chapter after this before the side stories.

Cage Incorporated – Press Conference Room

When word of the attack on Cage Incorporated reached the media, it had all but ignited a massive firestorm as the various news organizations had flocked to San Francisco.

The Press Conference Room was about as big as the one back at Stark Enterprises, Tony realized as he and Maria walked alongside Johnny, down the aisle, ignoring the flashes of the cameras. Two rows of chairs, leading to a raised platform at the far end of the room, where a podium made of glass and wood stood. Johnny walked alongside him, face set in stone, his attitude a complete 180 degrees. Mey walked behind the trio, easily keeping the pace with the two despite wearing heels.

The cameramen spun, catching not only the Chairman of Cage Incorporated and the Chief Executive of Stark Enterprises, but also the Commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. Both Cage and Stark's rivalry well-known in the business world, not to mention their opposing views in the past regarding the Superhuman Registration Act. If the both of them were together, then the situation regarding the attack on Cage Incorporated was even more serious than originally thought.

Of course, that didn't stop the gathered reporters from shouting out various questions to the two businessmen. Johnny, Stark, and Maria ignored them all as they made their way to the podium.

Johnny Cage stood in front of the podium, hand bandaged from the fight, Maria and Stark flanking him on either side, Mey standing alongside Stark, Johny looking every bit the professional, charismatic Chairman of Cage Incorporated that he had projected himself to be. One raised hand was all that was needed for the mob of reporters to fall silent.

"Good morning," Johnny greeted. "This press conference will be brief, and I ask that you hold all questions until I explain what has happened in the past couple of days, and as why S.H.I.E.L.D., the X-Men, and the Avengers are here." His tone showed that there was no room for argument.

"Three days ago, as you already know, my business, along with my youngest daughter and myself, were the targets of a brazen terrorist attack." It was as if he had fell back on his many years as an actor, in which he commanded the screen. For Johnny, it was as if he was welcoming back an old friend. "I would had been killed, and something far worse would had been in store for Ravenna, had it not been for two key factors in my favor."

He held up a finger. "The first, is due to my family's close association with the X-Men, as several of them are our friends, Ravenna was able to send a distress signal to Utopia." He held up a second finger. "The second is that the Army Special Forces' Tactical Response Unit, led by General Sonya Blade, was conducting a series of training exercises with Avengers Commander Steven Rogers, and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill, hence the Helicarrier that is hovering over the main headquarters. Both General Blade and Director Hill had received word of the imminent attack and provided their assistance."

A lie, sure, but it sounded a hell of a lot better than saying "My family are exiles from an alternative Earth, in which an insane thunder god wants to kill us all and quite possibly destroy this realm due to the superpowered heroes and villains running around the place. Questions?"

A glance to Mey, and she punched in several keys on her tablet. The flat-screen TV behind Johnny, Tony and Mey came to life, showing footage of the battle some three days earlier. Johnny was clearly seen, fighting in the battle.

"You can recognize the Hand, due to their red ninja uniforms," Johnny continued. "But the Hand was controlled by a new organization, one that had just recently attracted the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. The organization was known as the Black Dragon." He turned to Maria. "Commander Hill?"

Johnny stepped back and stood alongside Mey, allowing Maria to step up to the podium. "From what we managed to find out through our investigation, Cage Incorporated would had been the first company that the Black Dragon had attacked. Stark Enterprises would have been its next target. What we know about the Black Dragon is that it was a relatively new organization, consisting of mercenaries and cutthroats whose specialties include arms trafficking, racketeering, and murder. We also have solid evidence that the Black Dragon had managed to assimilate the Hand by means of murdering its former head, Elektra Natchios, thus boosting their numbers, given them the strength to launch their attack on Cage Incorporated."

* * *

At the same time, with Jax, Ravenna and Sonya...

"He still got it," Sonya said with a hint of pride in her voice as she, Ravenna and Jax watched the press conference.

"And you said that he hasn't been acting since Earthrealm?" Jax asked. Even he had to admit that Johnny had the reporters eating out of his hand.

Sonya nodded. "He was tempted. But he kept his promise to me."

Jax turned to Ravenna. "You knew about your dad's past as an actor?"

Ravenna nodded. "Some of his movies I actually like. The ones where he fights in are...well, shitty."

Jax turned to Sonya, a broad grin on his face. "How about that."

Sonya, for her part, rolled her eyes. Jax did have a point. Following their first divorce, Johnny had started to branch out from doing martial arts films.

"You think that the reporters will buy the excuse that Cage and Stark are giving them?" Jax asked.

"I see it as telling the truth from a certain point of view," Sonya admitted. "Then again, Kano was easy to figure out, expecially if either me or money is involved."

' **Ravenna.** '

Ravenna frowned slightly at Emma Frost's voice wafting into her skull. ' **Yes?** '

' **Be a dear and come and see both Scott and me. We need to talk.** ' With that, the link was severed.

Ravenna turned to her mother and Jax. "Excuse me. I'm needed."

Sonya frowned. "Who is it now?"

"Miss Frost. Both her and Summers wants me for something."

Sonya nodded and waved her daughter off.

* * *

At the same time, with Cassie and Jacqui...

"Gotta hand it to Dad," Cassie mused, "he still knows how to work the crowd."

Jacqui could only nod. She had emerged from the bathroom, fresh and clean from the shower, and dressed in a fresh pair of fatigues (i.e., her Boot Camp costume), walking in just in time to see the press conference began.

Before the shower, Dr. Rao came by the hospital room at Cassie's behest to give Jacqui a quick check-up. Following Rao giving her friend a clean bill of health, Jacqui went for the shower. For the past five minutes, Jacqui had did nothing but sit in the shower, curled up in a ball, sobbing her eyes out, the emotions washing over her like a tidal wave. She cried over the deeds that she had done in Raiden's name. She cried over the loss of her mother, remembering how Kano had described how he and Darren had killed her and promised to do the same to her if she broke free from Raiden's control.

 _"Yer look so much like yer mum, Jacqui. Wager you'd scream like her too. Oh, Mama Briggs screamed when me boy and I tapped that ass. She screamed for you and Daddy to come and save her. But in the end, she broke. They all do, in the end. I wonder if you're just as tight and pink as Vera. Well...if you ever break out of whatever mumbo-jumbo that Raiden has you on...I'll show you what a man I am. Even more better than Kenshi's limp-dicked boy. Maybe I'll let him watch as I fuck your brains out like I did to yer mama."_

Cassie could feel Jacqui's raw emotions from the bathroom. Honestly, she couldn't help but to feel Jacqui's pain. Vera had helped raise her alongside her parents. Kano killed her, and Raiden denied both father and daughter her body to bury.

Cassie did not shy away from killing. She saw it only as a last resort. But Kano...

' **Admit it,** ' the dark half of the Phoenix said, ' **you took pleasure in making him suffer the way you did. Not to say that he had it coming.** '

Maybe Magik was right about her, in regards to being a borderline sociopath.

Cassie sighed. She turned to Jacqui. "Jacqui, look at me."

Jacqui turned to her friend, her red-rimmed brown eyes looking into Cassie's baby blues. "Look into my eyes, and don't blink," she said.

Cassie opened her mind to Jacqui, showing her the events that had happened three days ago, during the Black Dragon's invasion of Cage Incorporated. She watched as Cassie confronted Kano, the Black Dragon leader unable to land a hit on her, while Simon watched on.

But what really shocked Jacqui was Cassie's revelation about Raiden selling Kano out to the Red Dragon, an event that Sonya herself had witnessed alongside her father whilst under Raiden's control.

Jacqui couldn't help but to smile as Cassie showed Kano that she was not the same girl from Earthrealm. Cassie had no problem in getting her hands dirty. Jacqui even took a small measure of delight as Cassie described what she and her parents had done to Darren.

Kano had been in over his head, Jacqui realized as Cassie tortured him with her telepathy. Then, Sonya appeared, with a bloodied Darren. Watching Kano try to defend his actions and his son suffering for them brought Jacqui grim satisfaction.

Despite promising Kano mercy for his son should he surrender (after Cassie had shot him several times), Sonya responded by snapping Darren's neck, much to Kano's horror. For Jacqui, she was actually shocked to see that Kano gave a damn for someone other than himself, as he cradled the broken, bloodied body of his son.

Looking into Sonya's face, Jacqui couldn't help but to be reminded of how Sonya looked when she ripped off Kintaro's head whilst hopped up on blood magik.

Jacqui had heard about how Sonya had left Kano half-dead when he threatened Cassie. But to see her best friend and her surrogate aunt beat the crap out of Kano, double-teaming him and not allowing him any sort of reprieve. Kano fought like a man possessed, realizing that he was a dead man either way. But in the end, it was no use. Cassie destroyed his infared eye, and Sonya immobilized him by stabbing him with his own knife.

But what made Jacqui smile was that Kano had begged for his life.

Then, Sonya gave the order to kill him, of which Cassie had done in brutal fashion. Then, just to be sure, mother and daughter unloaded two clips from Cassie's Desert Eagles into Kano's corpse before Cassie burned his remains.

For Jacqui, Kano's screams were music to her ears.

Then, as quick as it had began, it was over. Jacqui found herself back in her hospital room. The entire event lasted for only a couple of seconds. On the TV, Johnny Cage was still speaking.

"Holy shit!" Jacqui gasped. "That was intense!"

"Yeah, that's usually the reaction when someone experiences that the first time around," Cassie replied. "As you can see, Kano didn't die well. Consider this a form of closure on my end. Kano's dead, the Black Dragon has been destroyed, and Aunt Vera's been avenged."

"What did you do to him?"

"A trick I picked up from the Ghost Rider. If you see a dude with a flaming skull dressed in biker leathers riding a motorcycle straight out of hell, you've met the Rider. His signature move is called the Penance Stare, in which he can inflict pain, knock someone out, or even kill them." Cassie smiled evilly. "Kano had about thirty years' worth of crimes under his belt. And the Stare makes the victim feel every single pain that they've inflicted on their victims."

Jacqui put the pieces together. "You used the Stare on Kano, and forced him to relive every evil deed that he had done."

Cassie nodded. "And everytime I made him relive it, the pain increased. It was his sins that killed him."

Jacqui could still hear Kano's horrific screams in her ears. A stark contrast to the man who had so flippantly told her that he and his son had raped and murdered her mother, and promised that she would endure the same should she break free.

"Thank you," Jacqui said. "For this. Now, Mom can rest in peace."

Cassie nodded. Then, she turned her head to the left. "Hmm...Jin's awake," she noted. "Takeda too. I can sense him pacing around the room like a caged animal. Jin's calm...for the most part. He's confused...angry...wow, and I thought I had issues."

"He saw his dad die," Jacqui explained. "Kotal Kahn killed him. Somehow, he broke free of Raiden's corruption. But Raiden put him back under again, and killed Kotal. Only this time, Shang Tsung reinforced the corruption with sorcery."

"Must've been pretty weak if Doctor Strange and Magik can break it," Cassie mused. "And those two are probably the strongest sorcerers on the planet. Even moreso than Shang Tsung. But the negative is that Strange relies entirely on magic, whereas Shang has both magic and martial arts."

"You sure about that?"

"Doctor Strange's mentor broke Mom out of Raiden's corruption. And I trained Magik in how to fight," Cassie explained. "So, yeah, I'm sure." She straightened herself out. "Enough talk. Let's grab the Shaolin and your boy-toy. I'm gonna take you to have your arms calibrated, make sure that they're working properly, while they get looked at by one of the doctors here."

Jacqui nodded. Then, there was a knock at the door. "What is it, Simon?" Cassie asked.

Frost entered the room, the ice ninja clad in her uniform, save for the overmantle. "Not Simon. Just me."

Sensing Jacqui's emotions, Cassie placed a hand on Jacqui's shoulder. "It's okay. She's with us. She's been on the run from the Lin Kuei around the same time as I fled Earthrealm with my parents."

"And trust me when I say that General Blade is very thorough," Frost noted in a dry tone. "She had Doctor Strange and Magik scan me after my physical, just to make sure that I wasn't a spy."

Cassie explained further. "Doctor Strange and Magik used their powers to see if Frost's intentions are pure. Surprisingly, they were. Had they not been, she would be having a seizure." To Frost, she asked, "What do you want?"

"Oh, General Blade wanted me to tag along with you once you reunite with your old team," Frost explained. "After they get checked out, she and your dad wants to have a sit-down with all of you, myself included."

Cassie nodded. She exited the room, followed by her friend and the rogue Lin Kuei.

* * *

With Jin and Takeda...

"...second is that the Army Special Forces' Tactical Response Unit, led by General Sonya Blade, was conducting a series of training exercises with Avengers Commander Steven Rogers, and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill, hence the Helicarrier that is hovering over the main headquarters..."

Kung Jin was meditating, whereas Takahashi Takeda was pacing the room like a caged animal. The door was locked, of course, but for Jin, that was to be expected. Johnny Cage had done that for their own safety. The corruption that had inflicted their bodies was gone, yet Jin knew that Johnny nor Sonya was not one to take any chances.

"You're gonna walk though the floor if you don't calm down," Jin noted in a humorless tone.

"I don't see how you can be so calm," Takeda replied. "We don't know where we are, and Jacqui's missing alongside Jax." He pointed to the TV, in which the press conference was playing. "For all we know, that could be a fake."

"You need to calm down, Takeda," Jin said. "I can honestly say that what is on the TV is not fake."

"Johnny Cage is an actor, not an industrialist," Takeda pointed out.

"It has been nineteen years for them," Jin reminded him, "whereas it has only been three years for us the last time we saw them."

"Yet, when Jacqui and I fought her, she looked exactly the same," Takeda said. "Only difference is that she didn't have the undercut and she was a telepath like me. The power that was radiating off of her...not even Dad could match that if he was alive."

"Cassie? A telepath?" Jin stopped his meditation. "Are you sure? And the fact that it's been that long since we've seen her. If what Raiden says is true, then she would be in her forties by now."

' **Forty-one last month,** ' the voice of Cassandra Cage drifted in their heads. ' **And yet, I look as if I'm twenty-five.** '

"Cassie?" both Jin and Takeda said together.

 **BEEP. CLICK.**

The door to the room unlocked, and opened. First, Simon Williams entered the room, holding a duffel bag in one hand. He was followed by Cassie, Frost, and Jacqui.

Takeda's reaction was nearly instant. He rushed over to Jacqui, who met him halfway as the couple embraced. Jin stood to the side, as did Frost, Cassie and Simon. While she was happy to see her old team back, Cassie felt like a stranger.

Only then, did Takeda notice Jacqui's new arms. "What happened?"

"Raiden," Jacqui replied.

That was all that Takeda needed. Still holding Jacqui, he looked at Cassie. She looked exactly the same, save that she no longer had the undercut. "It was you? You rescued us?"

Cassie nodded. "Alongside Ravenna, yeah." A nod to Simon and he tossed down the duffel bag. Cassie pointed to the bathroom. "Shower's in the next room. Clean up and get dressed. Mom and Dad wants all of you checked out, and Jacqui needs to have her arms properly calibrated."

"Who died and made you boss?" Takeda snapped.

"Takeda..." Jacqui warned.

Cassie stared at the younger telepath/ninja. 'The Cage death glare,' as she called it; the combination of Sonya's signature Blade Death Stare and Johnny's patented Cage Glare. Takeda actually took a step back.

"No one made me your boss," Cassie replied in a tone similar to what her mother used. Takeda could have sworn that he had seen a bit of red seep into her eyes before retreating. "But Dad made you my responsibility, along with Jacqui and Jin." She took a step forward, while he took another step back. "I didn't have to rescue you, or any of you. All I had to do was rescue Ravenna." Her gaze softened. "You think what you went through for the past three years was bad, try living with survivor's guilt for nineteen years. I lived with the fact that I failed not only you, but also Jacqui and Jin. Thought you'd like to know that before you go and question my motives."

Cassie spun on Frost. "Escort these two to Doctors Richards and McCoy. I'll take Jacqui." She turned and stalked out of the room, Jacqui following Cassie, but not before glaring at Takeda. Simon glared at Takeda before walking out of the room.

"Nice job, ninja," Frost said, amused. "You just pissed off Cassie. Next time, try not to do that, unless you wanna end up like Raiden."

"What exactly happened to him?" Jin asked.

"Both Cassie and Ravenna burned him to a crisp," Frost replied as if she was discussing the weather. "He's not dead, unfortunately. She's a lot more powerful in the telepathy department, ninja."

"Real smooth, Takeda," Jin noted.

Takeda sighed. Cassie did not like to fail, this he knew. He knew of her self-doubts, of her personal demons. And seeing as how she was able to not only beat Shinnok, but also himself and Jacqui back in Earthrealm, she was just as dangerous as ever.

Combined with the fact that she is a telepath...just how powerful was Cassie Cage, he wondered.

* * *

With Ravenna...

Like the Avengers, the X-Men had commandeered a floor within the medical facility to allow their wounded to be treated. Cyclops had his concerns in allowing some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s medical officers to assist Dr. Rao, but it had been Professor Xavier that had convinced him to allow SHIELD to help Rao treat the injured.

Despite the opposing views and his less-than-stellar opinion towards his former mentor, Cyclops still listened to Xavier once in a while.

Upon emerging from the elevator, she was greeted by Hope Summers and Magik, who fell in step beside their best friend.

"Summers and Frost asked the both of you to accompany me?" Ravenna asked.

Magik nodded. "Yup. They didn't say why they wanted you, though."

"I think I have a pretty good idea as to what Summers want with me," Ravenna replied, as she remembered Cassie telling her about Captain America's proposal. She just didn't told her parents about it. Not yet, at least.

"Care to give the details?" Hope asked.

"I would, but I'm not gonna ruin the surprise," the youngest Cage replied. "How did Cyclops and the White Queen take the news about Raiden?"

"After showing them our memories," Hope replied, "Xavier had no problem in convincing Cyclops to get in touch with X-Factor, and some of our other allies. While some of the folks here are more powerful than Raiden and Shang Tsung, Summers isn't taking any chances.

"Also, Emma's a bit miffed over the fact that Cassie's 2o years older than her and still looks to be twenty-five," Magik added in a humorous tone.

"At least Cassie now has something to make Emma pissed," Hope added in a wry tone, remembering about how Emma went on a tirade about how not only was Cassie older than her, but still looked as good."

Ravenna snickered. She remembered the times she would tease Cassie about her age; of how she was in her early thirties when everyone else thought she was in her teens. Turned out that Cassie was made of sterner stuff, as she had long since accepted her age. "Everyone grows old eventually," Cassie had told her. "Only I'm gonna be looking good doing it."

The X-Men were all gathered in the main area, watching the news conference. At the moment, Maria Hill was speaking to the mob of reporters. Johnny was behind her, standing beside Tony Stark, looking as stoic as her father.

Scott Summers and Emma Frost were chatting by the window, looking just as battered from the battle three days prior. The cowl was off, the ruby-red shades covering his Scott's eyes.

"You guys wanted to see me?" Ravenna asked.

The couple turned from the window. "Ah, Miss Cage," Emma greeted. "Glad you decided to come. How are you feeling?"

"Not the first time I was kidnapped, but I'm okay."

"You have been through quite the ordeal," Cyclops said. "Then again, your family was always full of surprises. But enough of that. Emma and I have been talking. What do you think is gonna happen once Raiden is dealt with?"

"More than likely, you and Rogers would probably end up fighting over Cassie and me regarding the Phoenix," Ravenna snorted. "Unless..." she let that word hang.

Emma immediately caught on. "Unless we find a way past this impasse. Which I did."

"I still don't like it, Emma," Scott grumbled.

"Let me guess," Ravenna interjected. "You want to keep an eye on me, to monitor the Phoenix, right?"

Both Cyclops and the White Queen nodded.

"What about Cassie?" asked Ravenna.

Scott sighed. "Although I'd prefer to have both you and your sister under our supervision...I'm willing to compromise with Rogers."

Scott's eyes widened, as did Emma's own with Ravenna's reply. "Cap just pitched his proposal to Cassie shortly after we got back from Earthrealm. She goes to New York as a consultant. At the same time, the Avengers keep an eye on her. She's still weighing her options."

"What about you?" Emma asked.

"Give me some time to think about it, and I'll get back to the both of you on that, okay?" suggested Ravenna.

The two elder mutants nodded. Ravenna turned and walked off to enjoy the rest of the conference.

* * *

Back at the conference...

"We have identified the leader of the Black Dragon," Maria said. Kano's face popped up on the screen. "His name is - well, was - Kano. Not much was known about him, but we do know that he and his son led the attack alongside his three top lieutenants. His crimes stem from murder, rape and kidnapping."

'Glad to see that Maria read Sonya's file on Kano,' Johnny thought.

The picture of Kano was the most recent one that Sonya had, taken shortly after she had beaten the crap out of him for threatening Cassie.

"The reason why S.H.I.E.L.D. has kept this under wraps is that we didn't want to cause a panic," Maria continued. "However, upon learning that Kano had targeted not only Stark Enterprises, but also Cage Incorporated, we had to act. Suffice to say, we caught Kano in the act of invading Cage Incorporated, as he destroyed one of the buildings here."

'Thankfully, I was just building that one,' Johnny mentally noted.

"By that time, we had arrived, along with the X-Men and the Tactical Response Unit," Maria continued. "Despite our offer of surrender, Kano chose to attack. Suffice to say, he did not survive the battle, as he was killed by Captain Cassandra Cage, whereas his son was slain by General Sonya Blade. One by one, Kano's lieutenants fell, chosing death over surrender. Out of the attack force of over 500, less than 20 survived, most chosing suicide over capture." She paused. "However, the battle was not without casualties from our end. S.H.I.E.L.D. has lost twenty-five of its members, double that for the wounded. The Avengers also suffered a loss in the form of Bobbi Morse, codename Mockingbird."

Maria paused. Johnny saw this as his cue and stepped forward, allowing Maria to step back. "Questions?" He pointed to one reporter. "Yes?"

A Korean-American reporter stood up. "Chairman Cage, Lynn Park, KGO-TV. Is the attack on Cage Incorporated just a step for something bigger? Is the Black Dragon working alone?"

"We don't know at the moment," Johnny replied. "Cage Inc.'s Internal Affairs Division is working together with the Tactical Response Unit and S.H.I.E.L.D. to uncover the truth...and who was behind the attack. Next question."

A British reporter stood up. "Conner Wellingham, BBC America. Are you concerned that your European interests might be threatened, let alone your sister and her family?"

"I spoke with Rebecca in London," Johnny replied. "She also shares the same sentiment, as does the British government, seeing as how I also have contracts there. The Prime Minister has deployed several squads of his finest soldiers to guard the London office and its research facility in Sheffield." He gestured to Tony. "Mr. Stark also has overseas investments, and also has acted accordingly, just in case."

* * *

With the ex-revenants...

"He's good," Kabal noted as he and the former revenants gathered around the TV, watching the press conference, Johnny answering the questions fired at him by the various reporters with skill, showing that thriving under the pressure was a talent that he (alongside Sonya) had passed on to Cassie.

Liu Kang nodded. "After all these years, he hasn't lost a step."

Sindel remained silent.

"So who's are the other three alongside him?" Smoke asked.

"The Asian woman is Mey, Jade's adopted daughter," Kitana explained. "We originally had her as a mole, but Johnny found her out. Turns out he speaks Edenian. But Johnny wasn't angry over the fact that he had a spy working for him, just amused. Sonya and Cassie had a real good laugh at that when Johnny told us about it later."

Kitana never forgot that day when Johnny spoke near-perfect Edenian to her and Jade back when Liu had challenged Iron Fist. In her long, long life, nothing surprised her. Johnny speaking Edenian and easily deducing that Mey was a spy...that did.

"Johnny instead used that to his advantage," Liu continued. "He proposed that Mey would instead serve as a liaison for the Red Lotus, as well as his secretary. We agreed."

"Clever," complimented Nightwolf. "And the other two?"

"Brunette's Maria Hill, Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, or S.H.I.E.L.D., for short. They're a peacekeeping force sanctioned by the U.N.," Kitana explained. "The other guy is Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Enterprises, and Johnny's chief business rival. He's also a superhero who goes by Iron Man, for the most obvious reason you will find out soon enough."

Like Sindel, Kung Lao was pensive, but not about the press conference, but rather about his meeting with Kung Jin. Mey had called back, telling Liu and Kitana and Jin had agreed to the meeting, of which the former Emperor had relayed to Lao.

He was trying to figure out how to proceed. The last time he had encountered Jin, Lao tried to kill him, after all.

* * *

Back at the press conference...

Johnny looked at his watch. Thirty minutes had passed. He decided to wrap things up. "Okay, one more question, then that will be it," Johnny said. He pointed to another reporter, who stood up.

"Chairman Cage, Rita Malecki, MSNBC," the reporter introduced himself. "These terrorists, this...Black Dragon...how come this is the first time we have heard of them?"

Johnny turned to Maria. "You wanna answer this one?"

Maria stepped to the front as Johnny, once again, moved to the side. "The Black Dragon was relatively new, not entirely on our radar until they decided to assimilate the Hand and murder its former leader. Through our informants, were we able to learn about the planned attacks on Cage Incorporated and Stark Enterprises."

Johnny returned to the podium. "Thanks for coming. This conference is now over."

Ignoring the questions that the reporters were shouting at them, the Chairman of Cage Incorporated and his party quickly made their exit from a side door.

"And I thought the press conferences for my films were bad..." Johnny mused. "Those guys were relentless."

"You seem to have handle yourself pretty well, Cage," Maria noted.

"The Ice Queen of S.H.I.E.L.D. actually complimenting me? Will miracles never cease?" Johnny said. Maria rolled her eyes.

"Any news on your guests?" Stark asked.

"Cassie sent me a mental message during the conference," Johnny replied. "Takeda's awake. Frost is taking the both of them to get checked out, while Cass is taking Jacqui to get her arms calibrated. And Takeda pissed Cassie off. Damn. I owe Sonya 20 bucks. I thought that Jin would be the first." He looked pensive. "With the way things are going, Cassie may need to cash in that favor 'he' owes her."

"'He?'" Maria parroted. "Who's 'he?'"

"A mutual accquaintance of ours," the Cage patriarch explained. "Cassie done right by him by saving the life of one of his subordinates, and he promised her a boon. Cassie's been holding on to that debt ever since. You know him as..."

 **BEEP. BEEP.**

Johnny produced his phone. Looking at the Caller ID, it read **THE WIFE**. Excusing himself for the moment, he answered. "Talk to me."

"You'd have to shut up first," Sonya's voice greeted him in response. "You owe me twenty bucks."

"I know. Tak pissed Cassie off."

"I'm taking Jax to see Cassie and Jacqui. You deal with Takeda and Jin."

"Got it. We'll bring them to my office for the debrief. You think they'll accept our offer?"

"If they want payback on Raiden, they will," Sonya replied. "Good job on the press conference, by the way. You even impressed Jax."

"Normally, I would respond with a snide remark, but I really don't feel like it," her husband retorted. "See you in a few, babe."

"Asshole," Sonya replied. "I'm on the job."

Johnny ended the call. "My work is never done," he mused. To Maria and Stark, he said, "If you excuse me, I need to check on my former charges."

With a nod of farewell, Johnny, Stark and Maria went their separate ways.


	35. 25: Bringing The Band Back Together

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Bringing The Band Back Together**

Note: The scene between Maria and Mavado was inspired by the Nick Fury and Loki scene from The Avengers. And as it turns out, there are some entities that are greatly concerned with the threat of Raiden and Earthrealm, as the Marvel Universe is also home to many other deities.

San Francisco, California – following the Dance of Dragons (Iron Fist vs Liu Kang)...

Back in Earthrealm, Sonya rarely laughed.

But here, Johnny watched in amusement as his wife broken out in a fit of giggles as he recounted the events that led to the showdown between Iron Fist and Liu Kang. She would have Ravenna show her the memories of the fight later on.

But the fact that Kitana and Jade had nearly shit a brick upon not only hearing Johnny speak Edenian (of which she already knew), but correctly deduced that Mey was a spy made Sonya laugh for a good half hour from their home to the small diner several blocks away. By that time, Sonya had somewhat calmed down.

The diner had fallen on hard times in the past. Had it not been the fact that Cage Incorporated has risen to prominence and its employees needed a preferable spot to eat, and add the fact that Sonya had recommended the diner to some of her subordinates...

The diner owner had offered Johnny and his wife discounts for whenever they ate. But Johnny and Sonya paid full price every time.

"Honestly, I thought you'd be pissed at Liu for pulling a stunt like that," Sonya said as she sipped her coffee.

"Oh, I knew that Mey was a Red Lotus plant for a while now," her husband admitted. "The only reason why I kept her on is because she's good at her job. Plus, good help is so hard to find nowadays."

"I'm gonna have to have Julia scan the base and make sure that my unit is not compromised," Sonya said. "So what did Liu and Kitana say about your proposal?"

"Mey just texted me earlier," Johnny replied. "Her job title has officially changed from 'spy' to 'liaison.' I did have to give her a verbal warning for the deception, of course."

"I hope you know what you are doing, Johnny."

"Usually, I ask myself that question after I've done something reckless or stupid."

"Johnny Cage?"

Johnny and Sonya turned to the source of the voice. A woman, around Sonya's age, stood in front of their table. She stood around Sonya's height, very attractive, with long red hair pulled back into a bun, the blue eyes clear, alert, showing intelligence, cunning. She was dressed like a businesswoman; white blouse, red pants, black businessman's jacket and heels.

For Johnny and Sonya, a certain feeling was creeping in their gut. It was the same feeling that they both had whenever Raiden or Fujin were present. There was something about this woman that made them uneasy.

Johnny confirmed his identity with a nod. "That's me. And you are?"

The woman extended her hand. Johnny shook it. "Argeia. Hera Argeia."

Sonya cocked an eyebrow. "Hera? As in the Greek goddess Hera?"

"More importantly," Johnny continued, "She's the President of the Olympus Group out in New York."

Hera nodded. "May I sit?"

Johnny nodded, and after a glance to Sonya, she scooted over, allowing the stunning redhead to sit. "As to my name...well, my mother gave me the name, as she loved Greek mythology."

"So what brings you to my backyard?" Johnny asked.

"I have family that lives out here. A step-daughter and my youngest daughter. I suppose it was luck that I managed to run into you here." Hera cleared her throat. "I missed you in New York, due to a series of meetings with my shareholders. Now that I've caught up with you, I wanted to speak to you."

"Here I am. You have the floor, Madam President."

"I come to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime, Chairman," Hera said. "I wish for us to join forces. Cage Incorporated and Olympic Group." She pulled out a small sheet of paper and slid it across the table to Johnny. "As you can see, the offer is a very generous one. You will remain on as Chairman, and have complete autonomy. But all decisions must be made through me. I've been looking to set up shop on the West Coast, and I believe that Cage Incorporated will be the foothold that I need."

Johnny looked at the price. It was a hefty sum for his business, but in the end, he folded the sheet of paper and slid it back to Hera. "With respect, Madam President, I must say no."

"Why? Is the price too low?"

"Of course not. I built the business out of nothing with the help of my sister," Johnny explained. "I want to pass it down to Ravenna. She has voiced her interest in running the company, which is why I have been grooming her to take my place once I retire. Please understand, Madam President...my sister and I have invested too much in my business. To sell it now meant that all the years spent would be for nothing."

Hera nodded. "I understand, Chairman. Like you, I would like to leave the business to my own children, so I can see where you are coming from. And after you and your wife's little brawl against the Goblin, I would not want to press my luck...as much as I want to." She stood up. "Thank you for your time, Chairman."

With a nod to Sonya, Hera departed from the diner. Once she was gone, Johnny turned to Sonya. "You felt that too, right? Raw power, coming from her?"

Sonya nodded. "Only time I felt that was when I was around Raiden, Fujin, or Shinnok."

"I'm thinking that Hera may be the real deal," Johnny said. "But a Goddess running a conglomerate out of New York?"

"We've seen weirder stuff," Sonya said. "Lived through most of it too."

"Don't remind me. And I thought that this realm was out of surprises. So what do we do about Hera?"

Sonya cocked an eyebrow. "'We?' What 'we?'"

"You got a personal stake in the business, remember?"

"Best thing to do is nothing...for now. I didn't get the same gut feeling that I had when you refused Osborn's offer," Sonya replied. "We shouldn't have no problems out of Hera...for the time being, at least."

* * *

Olympic Group, following the press conference...

Hera had a lot to think about. The television was playing a repeat of the press conference at Cage Incorporated, but she had seen it already, which is why it was on mute.

Ever since meeting both Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, she knew about their true origins, having looked into both of their souls. She knew of how he and Cassie were forced to flee from Earthrealm, taking a brainwashed Sonya along for the ride. She knew about his past as an actor and as Raiden's chosen champion following the death of Liu Kang, not to mention the mistrust between the former champions, now having been waned in the past nineteen years since their exile.

Honestly, had she been in Johnny's position, she would mistrust the Red Lotus grandmasters as well. But there was a mutual respect between the Chairman of Cage Incorporated and the former Shaolin.

But Liu Kang and Kitana and the late Jade were off-limits, as they had the favor of the Japanese gods.

Hera was still brooding when her son walked into the room. Six-feet-four, five hundred pounds of muscle, with dark close-cropped hair and blue eyes that can pierce your soul. He was dressed casual, rather than in his normal combat attire.

The battle at Cage Incorporated had drawn the attention of both Athena and her brother, Ares. Things had been boring for the God of War since the death of Norman Osborn, but now, with the threat that Raiden posed from Earthrealm and the role of the Cage family before their flight...

'Yes...things will become interesting indeed,' Ares thought as he approached his mother.

"Ares," Hera greeted.

Ares responded with a nod. "Mother."

It had been decided that while Hera operated the Olympus Group in New York, Zeus would rule from Mount Olympus. Thankfully, his manwhore tendencies have lessened, as were the numerous illegitimate children he had running around.

"Any word from my husband?" Hera asked.

The God of War sat down. "He had returned from the Council of the Gods. This threat from Earthrealm...it has the other deities concerned."

Hera nodded. "As it does me. Glad to see that Zeus is taking things seriously for once."

"You knew all this time," Ares accused. "That the Cage family was of Earthrealm. You knew all this time."

"As should you," scolded Hera. "When I spoke with Chairman Cage that day, I looked into his soul. He is a hero, alongside his wife and elder daughter."

Ares frowned. His last confrontation with Cassandra Cage didn't end too well. He wanted to take revenge on her, but Hera had forbade it. The matriarch of the Greek pantheon actually found it pretty funny that a super-powered mutant was able to best her son.

"Is that why you and Father did not seek retribution on her?" Ares asked.

"Johnny Cage...intrigues me," Hera replied. "I even had Aphrodite attempt to seduce him to test his character, but he refused her." She smiled. "He is fiercely loyal to his wife and a devoted father. Something that your father should scrimp notes from once in a while."

' **I heard that,** ' Zeus' voice intoned, like a zephyr on the wind.

Hera ignored him. "Because of his devotion to his family, and as the patron goddess of marriage, he has earned my favor...although he does not know it yet." Her smile turned into a smirk. "Admit it, Ares. You were impressed with how Cassandra bested Shinnok...using only her inborn powers."

Ares sighed. Hera had shown both him and Athena the past memories, and the circumstances leading to the Cage family's flight from Earthrealm. Even Ares was impressed with how Cassie had taken down Shinnok whilst on a Jinsei high. Surprisingly enough, he and Athena were in agreement regarding Johnny's decision to flee Earthrealm.

"I'll admit," conceded Ares, "Cassandra is quite skilled in the arts of war. It's obvious that she gets it from her mother. No wonder Captain Cage is Athena's favorite alongside Amadeus Cho."

"The gods support the Cage family, while the Japanese kami favor the former revenants," Hera continued. "Despite their occupation as assassins, they fight for justice. Justice that has been denied to the less fortunate."

"I'm not surprised. Although I believe that Kitana could do better than someone like Liu Kang," Ares noted.

"It's not up to you." Hera leaned back in her seat. "This war will decide the fate of this dimension. The battle at Cage Incorporated was merely the first shots."

"No, Mother. The war began when Kano killed Elektra and Shang Tsung stole her soul." Oh, yes, the gods were privy to that. They also knew of the attack on the Red Lotus compound. And they knew about the meeting of the heroes at the Cage family home, and the circumstances that led to the attack on Cage Incorporated, of which the Gods of this dimension had watched with great interest.

Lightning crackled along Hera's fingertips. "To force oneself on a woman..." she seethed as she remembered Darren's gloating about how he and Kano had tortured and raped Cassie's surrogate aunt before killing her.

Ares' hand balled into a fist. Even as the God of War, he abhorred rapists. "I concur, Mother. Kano was fortunate that it had been Cassandra that had killed him. Had I been there in person...I would had taken my time in torturing him, maybe let Athena join in on the fun, seeing as how that is the one thing that we both agree on. Then I would send both him and his son to the darkest pits of Tartarus."

Hera smirked evilly. "Although the manner of Kano's demise was very satisfying to watch."

Ares matched his mother's smirk. "Indeed, Mother. Using one's sins to kill. Had the Rider saw that, he would have been proud."

"While the Japanese kami are subtle in their aid towards the former revenants," Hera replied, "we have no compunctions. Thor will come when the time is right to aid this dimension, as he has his own responsibilities at the moment, as he always does."

"Father said the same thing. He's sending me to personally aid the heroes. Alexander will remain behind."

"It seems that Cassandra has a favor owed to her by a...'mutual acquaintance' of ours," Hera noted. "That would be the perfect time to join up with her and her allies. And I shouldn't have to tell you to be careful, my son."

Ares nodded. "By your leave, Mother."

Hera waved him off. As Ares departed from the office, Hera couldn't help but to think to herself. 'Once again, you prove to be entertaining, Johnny Cage. You and your family. I shall be watching you from here on out.'

* * *

With Takeda, Frost and Kung Jin...

Takeda knew that he was on thin ice not only with Cassie, but also with Jacqui. Frost found the whole thing hilarious. Maybe it was because of the old rivalry between the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu, despite her not being part of the former. Either way, her respect towards Cassie had went up several notches, not only for her actions back in Earthrealm, but also avenging Li Mei and barbecuing Raiden alongside her sister. The former ninja stood up against the wall and watched as Reed Richards and Hank McCoy conducted their physical exams on the former thief and the chujin.

First, was Doctor Strange and Magik, who used their powers to make sure that Raiden's corruption was truly gone. Seeing as how neither man wasn't having a seizure, it was proof that they had done their job in purging Raiden's corruption.

Next, came the physical examination, which is where Reed Richards and Hank McCoy came in.

After living through hell for the past three years, seeing a man who had the ability to stretch himself and another who looked like a hulking blue cat really didn't phase neither man.

McCoy looked at the empty eye socket, where Takeda's eye was originally located. A horrific injury indeed, the area around the socket surrounded by scar tissue. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you lose the eye?" McCoy asked. "It looks like someone shot it out."

"You're right," confirmed Takeda. "Shrapnel from the bullet actually. I still have headaches. I can still close my eye, though."

McCoy nodded. "You know, you guys are kinda famous. Cassie told us about how you guys saved not only Chairman Cage, but also Earthrealm. All of this before Cassandra's powers had manifested."

"Cassie did the heavy lifting by facing Shinnok," Jin noted, remembering the climatic battle between the former sergeant and the corrupted Elder God. "We were distracting the revenants long enough for Cassie to win."

"And all of this before acquiring her powers," Richards noted, having been told of this by Stark shortly before the battle at Cage Incorporated began. "Most impressive. Deep breath, please."

"How do you know Cassie?" Takeda asked, while Jin took a deep breath, then exhaled.

"I was one of her teachers, the other being Professor Xavier," McCoy explained. "She was...six years old at the time...well, back when we all thought she was six. Cassie learned how to train and hone her powers at the Institute. She, along with Jean Grey, was Xavier's finest pupil in telekinesis and telepathy."

"Just how powerful is she? Cassie, I mean," Takeda asked.

"Without the Phoenix Force, Cassandra and Ravenna are both considered to be Omega-class mutants, considered to be the strongest," the furry mutant explained. "You're a mutant as well."

"Something like that," Takeda said. "My dad had the same powers as Cassie. I didn't start training until recently."

"Well, I think that's something we can remedy once this is all over," McCoy replied.

The door to the medical room opened and Johnny Cage entered the room, followed by Mey. Both Takeda and Jin had seen him on TV during the press conference. But seeing him in person after three years...he was younger, despite his actual age being seventy-three. For Takeda, the Cage patriarch reminded him of how young he looked during the Blood Code fiasco.

Now that Takeda thought about it, it was the second time that a Cage had punched him in the balls. Only difference was that the first time, Johnny had been brainwashed, while the second time around, he had been brainwashed, and it was Cassie who went low.

But the intensity was still there in his eyes. The same intensity that Cassie had her hers.

"Give it to me straight, Doc," Johnny said, addressing Richards. "Will my boys live?"

"They're a bit dehydrated, Chairman," Richards replied, "but other than that, healthy."

Johnny nodded. "Thanks. Both of you. You may go."

The two heroes left the room. Johnny turned to Takeda and Jin. "Welcome to Cage Incorporated. I'm your host...although the both of you probably knew that already. As to where we are, we're in San Francisco. How you feel?"

"A little better," admitted Jin.

"Okay," seconded Takeda.

"That's good to hear." Johnny turned to Takeda. "You'd probably want to apologize to Cassie. If anything, she has a mean streak even worse than Sonya."

"Heard you and General Blade remarried," Takeda said.

"That we did," confirmed Johnny. "It's more stable now than it was back in Earthrealm." His expression grew serious. "I heard about Kenshi, Takeda. Despite his faults, he was a good fighter, a good man. He saved both my life and Sonya's during the Netherrealm War."

"Thank you."

"Even in death, your father is looking out for you. His soul is sealed inside of Sento. He helped Cassie and the others escape from Earthrealm when they rescued you guys and Ravenna. Sento's in my office..." He then turned to Jin. "...along with your bow."

"You built all of this?" Jin asked, gesturing to the building surrounding them.

"Yup. Using my business-savvy and Sonya's S-F tech that I had my sister hacked and saved," the former actor confirmed,

"You stole it," Takeda deadpanned.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Sonya's not complaining. She's a secret partner in all of this." He gestured to Jin. "Honestly, I was expecting the jerkass attitude from Jin."

"I wasn't expecting to get punched in the nuts by another Cage, either," Takeda grumbled.

"Yeah, only difference is that you were the one brainwashed and Cassie was in the handicap match." Johnny frowned. "You know...we can probably give you a new eye to replace the one you lost. Unless you like looking like Carl Grimes from The Walking Dead."

"Who?" Jin and Takeda asked.

"Pop culture reference," Johnny replied, waving his hand. "You'll find out eventually. Like I said, we can give you a new eye, Tak. I gave Jacqui her new set of arms, I can fix you up as well. Either that, or find an eyepatch, cause that looks freaky." He then got serious. "We all failed you. Sonya, Cassie, even me. Cassie took it the hardest, because not only did Raiden manipulated her into killing Shujinko, but also that she was forced to leave after Raiden corrupted you."

"Yet, you took Sonya along with you," Takeda pointed out.

Johnny nodded. "Raiden sent her after me, given that at the time, she was my ex-wife. He thought that she would distract me long enough to have me restrained. I couldn't leave her behind. Not only would Cassie hate my guts, but also I had my home wired to blow. Probably the only time she could get away with assaulting a superior officer." He sighed. "Believe me when I say I thought I had more time to try and get you guys away from Raiden. But he forced my hand when he began to corrupt you guys and tricked Cassie into killing Shujinko. You think what you've been through was bad, Cassie had to live with the guilt of killing Shujinko and failing her team for nearly twenty years."

"And what about you and Sonya?" Jin asked.

"Sonya and I both got our own burdens to bear. I knew what was going to happen, as Yao warned me of the things to come. Despite my preparations and planning, I couldn't stop Raiden fast enough from corrupting the both of you and the others. On top of that, Raiden planned to have me murdered during Mortal Kombat and have Cassie take my place. So yeah, I lived with that failure on my track record. Sonya's failures are already known between the both of you in regards to choosing her job over Cassie and me."

Yeah, both Jin and Takeda knew that very well. They had gotten a front-row seat of the contempt Sonya had for Johnny once she found out that Kano was on the base.

"Where is General...I mean, Sonya?" Takeda asked.

"You got it right the first time," Johnny replied. "She just got promoted to Brigadier General. Cassie's been promoted to Captain. She's with Jax over at the Science Building. Cassie and Jacqui are over there, Jacqui getting her arms calibrated. Offer's still open, Takeda. We can give you a new eye."

"I'll think about it," Takeda replied. "But I need to see Jacqui."

Johnny nodded. "Fair enough. Follow me."

* * *

With Sonya, Cassie and the Briggs...

Jacqui was lying on an exam table, her wrists and ankles secured with metal restraints. Wires protruded from the bionic implants, running all the way to a series of computers, of which Amadeus Cho was furiously typing on the keyboard.

Watching this take place, was Sonya Blade and her former boss. Jax had a look of concern on his face, while Sonya had her arms folded.

When Johnny had came to Amadeus with his proposal, Amadeus was skeptical. But upon seeing the resources that Cage Incorporated had at his proposal, not to mention his own lab space...well, suffice to say, accepting Cage's offer had benefited the both of them in the long run.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. and Stark see you as a criminal," Cage had said. "I see raw talent and potential. They want to contain you. I want to unleash you. I want to unleash your potential upon the world."

And unleash him upon the world he did.

"Why the restraints?" Jacqui asked.

"Well, the last two guys that we subjected to the implants didn't take them very well," Cho replied, hooking up a USB cord into Jacqui's forearm and into the computer. "The arms went haywire. This was before Cassie took the schematics to Forge. "One didn't work, and the other guy was psychologically unstable."

"So how did you manage to fix it?" Jax asked.

"We salvaged what we could from Jacqui's old arms, mainly the nerves. They were the key," Cho explained, pausing to take a bite out of a piece of fudge brownie. "Chairman Cage brought me in to help solve the problem as to why the implants were not working properly. Had to borrow the good general's notes in regards to your implants in order to crack the code."

"The arms, as you already know, combine the best from S-F and Lin Kuei technology," Sonya continued. "We had plenty of time to work on them. But I had Johnny hold back on showing them to the military until we can work the bugs out. That's where Amadeus comes in."

"Chairman Cage knows potential when he sees it," Cho boasted. "I am, after all, the eighth smartest person on the planet." He looked at the screen. "Okay...diagnostics scan complete...everything is five-by-five...and we're good." He turned to Jacqui, a remote control in his hand. "Your arms are now calibrated. All I need to do is release the restraints and..."

He pointed the remote at Jacqui and pressed the button. Nothing happened. Cho pressed it again. Again, nothing happened. "Oh, for the love of..." Cho muttered as he fumbled with the control. Turning to the elder Cage (or Blade, as Sonya preferred), her daughter and Jax, he apologized, saying "This never happened before. Hold on..."

 **TING.**

Amadeus turned around...and ducked as the now-broken metal restraint was sent flying in his direction. Acting quickly, Cassie deflected it to the side.

Jacqui, not wanting to wait to be released, broke free of the first restraint.

 **TING.**

The second restraint then followed suit, Cassie once again deflecting the flying piece of metal that was sent flying in their direction.

"Sorry," Jacqui apologized as she sat up, removing the USB cord from her arm. "You were taking too long." She reached forward and ripped apart the ankle restraints, tossing them to the floor.

"Aren't we eager," Johnny said as he led his charges into Amadeus' lab, just in time to see Jacqui rip the ankle restraints. Sonya acknowledged both Takeda and Jin with a nod before turning back to Jacqui. He smiled broadly at Jacqui. "Everything good with the arms?"

Jacqui looked at her new arms. "Yeah...these arms feel kinda weird, yet they feel like my old arms."

Jax nodded. "Yeah, that's about right. It was the same for me when I got fitted with my implants."

"The arms are made out of a light material," Sonya explained as she helped Jacqui to her feet. "The same stuff that Cap's shield is made out of; proto-vibranium. Johnny had perfected the formula so that it's lightweight."

"You mean I perfected the formula, General," Cho corrected.

Sonya rolled her eyes as she continued to brief Jacqui on her arms. "You were already strong to begin with, but now you can lift as much as four times your weight. Your punching power has also increased, but you can tone it down to normal levels, so that way you won't accidentally hurt someone."

"So I'm as strong as Dad?" Jacqui asked.

"More or less. Plus, you can fire off energy blasts like Jax," Sonya replied. She looked at Takeda and Jin. "Takeda. Jin. Glad to have you back."

"General," Jin greeted, while Takeda only nodded.

"I know. It's hard to believe that Johnny was able to pull this off," Sonya said.

"I'm still not believing this, to be honest," Jax mutters so that Sonya could hear him.

To Amadeus, Johnny said, "Good work." To the others, he said, "All of you, come with me. We got a lot to discuss."

As Johnny led his entourage out of the lab, leaving Amadeus to clean up, Cassie walked by Takeda, but stopped when he placed his hand on her shoulder. ' **Sorry. I was out of line,** ' the ninja apologized. ' **Your dad told us everything.** '

Cassie nodded. ' **Apology accepted.** ' She then broke the link and the two former teammates followed the others out of the lab.

* * *

Near Johnny's office...

Mey's phone buzzed within her pocket. Reaching down and retrieving it, she opened it. It was a message from Liu Kang.

 **Relay to the Chairman and the General that Kitana and I are sending Nightwolf, Kurtis Stryker, Kabal and Smoke to help with the planning come tomorrow at noon. Also, Kung Lao will be in Chinatown at the same time. Chairman Cage and General Blade knows the spot that I speak. Grandmaster Kang.**

Mey cleared her throat. "Chairman. General. A message from Grandmaster Kang."

"What is it?" Sonya asked, beating her husband to the punch.

"Both her and Kitana have finalized the envoy that will be arriving here tomorrow at noon," Mey reported. "Nightwolf, Smoke, Kabal and Kurtis Stryker." She turned to Jin. "Your cousin will be in Chinatown at the same time." She frowned. "The Grandmaster said that you both will know the spot that he is referring to."

"Portsmouth Square, the West Entrance," Johnny explained. "There's a walkway that overlooks the park."

Jin nodded.

Johnny saw the apprehension in Jin's eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, son. Lao's not mad at you. I told you that already."

"Still doesn't make it any easier," Jin admitted.

"Makes sense for Liu and Kitana to send Nightwolf," Sonya mused. "He was Raiden's right-hand man for years up until Kahn's invasion." She looked up. "Heads up. We got visitors."

Standing in front of the double doors that read **JOHNNY CAGE, CHAIRMAN** , along with a second sign that read **ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE** , were Tony Stark – in his Iron Man getup – Captain America, Cyclops and Charles Xavier.

Jax recognized Stark from earlier, as he was unmasked. He could understand why Johnny called him 'Tin Man.'

"Whoa," Cassie noted. "What's this about?"

"Found out that your guests were up and about from Stark," Cap replied. "Also heard that you planned on debriefing them once they were settled in. We'd like to sit in on it."

"The same with us," Cyclops seconded.

"We already know the events leading up to our infiltration of Earthrealm thanks to our debriefing Frost, but since you guys were part of Raiden's inner circle, you can give us more as to what has happened in the time following the Cage family's flight from Earthrealm."

"I can save you the trouble," Cassie said. "When Mom and I fought Kano, I got a good glimpse inside his thoughts. I sent the report to Mom..." Cassie quickly amended her wording following a leveled glare from Sonya. "I mean, General Blade. She can send you guys a copy."

"Anything from Mavado?" Sonya asked.

"He's been silent," Cap replied. "We even had Agent Hood try and probe his mind, but he has some pretty powerful mental blocks in place. Director Hill is gonna try and take a shot at him."

"Daegon's work," Takeda said. "Dad and I were the only telepaths."

"He'll talk to me," Cassie said. "I did split the guy open."

"Just in case, Romanoff is going to sit in on the interrogation," Cap said. "But I still would like to see what has happened in Earthrealm prior to our arrival."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. There was nothing that would make Cap change his mind. Pulling out his ID Badge, he tapped it against the card reader, unlocking the door and entering the office.

"I gotta warn you," Cassie warned. "You may want to throw up after this."

* * *

At the same time, within the Helicarrier...

A glass cell, dubbed the 'Banner Suite,' held in place by hydraulic rigs (i.e., think the cell Loki was imprisoned in The Avengers). Inside the cell, was the most valuable prisoner brought back from Earthrealm.

For the past three days, Mavado was silent. He did not acknowledge his interrogators, even repelling a mental invasion of his mind by one of their supposedly best agents. At least the knew that a live hostage was better than a dead one, as they fed him. Sandwiches, and biodegradable cups of water.

Oh, they were not taking any chances with him. He was Daegon's right-hand man, his second-in-command of the Red Dragon. He knew that Daegon would not take his abduction lying down. As he calmly paced his cell, he knew that Cassandra Cage would rue the day that she crossed the Red Dragon.

"I trust you accommodations are to you liking?" Maria Hill asked, flanked by Dum Dum Dugan and Agent Hood.

"An impressive cage," Mavado commented. "But I suppose it wasn't built for me."

"He speaks," Hill said.

Mavado tilted his head. "You must be the one in charge here. You have the same air of authority that surrounds General Blade."

"Good assumption," Hill said. "This is the Helicarrier. We're about 2,000 feet over Cage Incorporated. And you're my guest."

"A fancy way of saying 'prisoner,'" Mavado scoffed. He began to walk in a circle. "I suppose that you want to know more about the Red Dragon, not to mention Raiden's plans for this realm, correct?"

"It would be a start," Hill replied. "Cooperate, and you will be sent to the Negative Zone. Piss me off, and you get the firing squad."

Mavado darkly chuckled. "You think you frighten me? I am a Red Dragon. An ant has no quarrel with a boot."

Hill smirked. "Yet, Cassandra Cage managed to one-up you. Twice."

Mavado's smirk vanished. The very name of his nemesis has made him angry.

"Oh, yes. I know all about that. Kinda burns at you, getting your ass handed to you by a teenage girl. Although I'm surprised that your death did not stick." Maria walked over to a small panel. "Maybe I'll have better luck...when I drop you from thirty thousand feet."

Maria pointed to Mavado. "You're the ant..." Then he gestured to the panel, with the lever, and flipped the switch. A hatch underneath Mavado's cell opened, showing nothing but the ground below. "...and that's the boot." She closed the hatch.

"Is that desperation I hear in your voice?" taunted Mavado.

"Desperation?" Maria repeated. "Your boss threatens to destroy this realm all because he didn't like it when his former champions told him to fuck off. Thirty of my men were killed when he gave Kano the order to invade and destroy. He threatens destruction if we don't surrender and pay tribute. Oh, trust me. Raiden has made me very desperate. And he won't be glad that he did. He has no idea what he is dealing with. What you have seen with Cassie and Ravenna Cage was just the beginning. Raiden wants a war...he got one."

Mavado's smirk returned. "In that case, you've signed your death warrant." He walked over to the glass wall. "And when Raiden comes...and he will...I will personally seek you out."

Maria scoffed. "We'll see," she said as she turned and left the area, Hood and Dugan walking behind her.

His smirk never leaving his face, Mavado sat on his cot.

* * *

Emotions were running very, very high following the 'debriefing' of Jax Briggs and Cassie's former team. On one side, shame was the dominant expression on the faces of the formerly corrupted. Anger was the dominant expression on the faces of Frost, Cassie and her parents. Disbelief was on Mey's face.

Tony Stark had just finished voiding out the contents of his stomach inside an empty wastebasket. Cyclops and Captain America's expressions matched that of the Cage family. Professor X had a look of genuine sympathy on his face as he broke the mind link, having used Cassie as a conduit to reveal the past three years of her former allies' minds.

Kotal Kahn was dead, of which there was no doubt. Raiden had killed the Emperor himself, and in gruesome fashion. And once Earthrealm had absorbed Outworld, things really went downhill for the planet.

It reminded Charles Xavier of the horrific visions of the non-existent future in which the Sentinels had all but wiped out mutantkind. Only much, much worse.

Sonya had already seen Kano kill General Flagg. But it still didn't make it easier for her. But her, her husband and Cassie were horrified to see Raiden electrocute Secretary Blake to death. They watched as Raiden tortured Fujin all because he had aided Cassie in her escape following Shujinko's death. They watched as Jax and Cassie's teammates committed atrocities while under Raiden's corruption. They watched as they exterminated the remnants of Mileena's rebellion, Rain falling to the might of Jax. Jacqui and Takeda were responsible for slaying Ferra/Torr, Ferra screaming for mercy after Takeda decapitated Torr with Sento.

Jacqui calmly blasted Ferra's head off with her gauntlet.

Jin fought Erron Black, the fight taking place in the Netherrealm. Jin won the battle by kneecapping Black with his arrows, then punted him into the lava river. Not even Black could survive that.

Every once in a while, Raiden would unleash his bodyguards and generals to quell any sign of rebellion. Of course, Takeda did break free out of the corruption following his seeing his father die.

If Cassie hated Raiden for manipulating her into killing Shujinko, then she really despised him now for destroying her friends' lives.

"I knew that burning that asshole alive was too good for him," Cassie seethed, her eyes going red before going back to normal.

"It wasn't your fault," Cap said to Jax and the others. "Raiden brainwashed you into do his bidding. I should know, because it happened to a close friend of mine."

"We were aware the entire time," Jacqui said. "It doesn't make it any easier...I thought Dad had it bad when he was a revenant...but to be betrayed by someone I knew my entire life..."

"Join the club," Johnny said. "Had I not fled with Cassie and Sonya, Raiden would've had me killed during Mortal Kombat. The most ironic thing was that he said that I was a hero, only thing was that I didn't realize it yet. This is the thanks my family and I get not only for saving Earthrealm, but also his sorry ass."

"Like what Jacqui said," Takeda said as he interlaced Jacqui's fingers with his own, "it doesn't make it any easier."

"We all got blood on our hands," Cassie said. "Some more than others. The only thing we can do is move forward."

"That reminds me," Sonya interjected. "Cass...you may need to cash in that favor 'he' owes you."

Cassie sighed. "I know. I planned on leaving tomorrow to speak with him."

"'He?'" Stark repeated. "Who's 'he?'"

Cassie ignored the Iron Avenger for the moment. She turned back to Jax and the others. "While you four were out cold, I had a talk with Mom and Dad, regarding you guys. You know I can lead a team, but I haven't ever since I fled Earthrealm, preferring to work alone."

Jax quickly connected the dots. "You want to reform your daughter's old unit." When Sonya nodded, Jax asked, "Why?"

"Because despite everything, I trust all of you," Cassie explained. "We saved Earthrealm together, but Raiden destroyed our lives and forced me and my family into exile. We're not just offering you a second chance. What we're offering you is payback. Payback on Raiden and his allies."

Jacqui nodded. "Payback sounds good." She looked at her arms. "Especially after what he had done to me. And he needs to answer for what he had done to Mom."

"I'm with Jacqui. Payback sounds very good," Jin added.

"Raiden will come to this realm," Johnny said. "That's inevitable. And he's gonna bring down the full fury of his forces upon us. There's a flood coming. Sonya and I are offering all of you a place on the ark."

"If you agree to our offer," Sonya continued, "you will once again, be placed under my command, with Cassie as your squad leader. Liu and Kitana have recruited the ex-revenants, and I want you three back under Cassie. You don't have to do this, and honestly, after what I've seen, I wouldn't blame you if any of you said no. But it would make both Johnny and me feel a whole lot better knowing that Cassie has people she trust watching her back."

It had been the most tense minute in Cassie's life as Jacqui, Takeda and Jin talked in hushed whispers. Even Johnny and Sonya watched on in anticipation aa to what the final decision would be. Cassie didn't influence the decision in any way, as Xavier would instantly detect her using her powers.

After the minute passed, Jacqui turned to Sonya. "We'll do it."

Cassie breathed a sigh of relief. A sigh that she wasn't aware of holding.

"You're right, Aunt Sonya," Jacqui continued. "Raiden has a lot to answer for. And Uncle Johnny didn't have to give me these new arms...but I'm glad that he did."

"Like I told Cap," Johnny said, "Sonya and I take care of our own. We're family in all but blood, after all."

Cassie turned to Frost. "I'm gonna need your help on this as well, Frost. I know first-hand that you can fight, and both Blue and Logan vouched for you. I want you to join up, if only temporary. If we can free Jax and my old team, then we can do the same with your uncle and the Lin Kuei."

Frost pondered her options. Sure she disliked Cassie, but she respected her for beating Shinnok and saving Earthrealm. Like her, Cassie and her family had been given a raw deal by Raiden after he had went insane.

The ice ninja and nice of Subzero sighed. "What the hell...sign me up. This doesn't mean we're friends, Cage."

"I'll settle for mutual acquaintances," Cassie replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Jax, I want you with me," Sonya said. "Once Nightwolf arrives with the others, I want the both of you to trade notes. You know how Raiden thinks. You're...you're our Raiden expertise."

"As much as I hate to admit, you're right," Jax said. "I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask, Jax," Sonya replied.

Johnny, for his part, couldn't help but to smile. Nineteen years ago, this team had been his brainchild. Sure Sonya had been against it, but in the end, following Shinnok's defeat, she accepted the fact that even he had a good idea once in a while.

Now, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes (bad analogy, this Sonya knew, given her daughters' connection to the cosmic entity in question), Team S-F was reborn, united not only for the defense of Earth, but united in their quest for vengeance against Raiden.

"Um...while this is all good, and I'm glad to see Cassie back in the game," Cap interrupted, "exactly who is 'He' that owes you a favor?"

"Both you and Stark know him well," Cassie replied. "Victor Von Doom."

Stark and Rogers' eyes widened in surprise.

"Who's Victor Von Doom?" Takeda asked.

A side glance from Cassie was Stark's cue. He brought up a projection of the man in question; clad head to toe in metallic armor, the green tunic covering most of it, with a hooded cape completing the outfit.

"Victor Von Doom, aka Doctor Doom," Cassie briefed her now-reformed team. "Monarch of Latveria, master scientist and sorcerer, would-be conqueror, and the leader of an order of Tibetan monks." She shrugged her shoulders when Jax and the others gave her weird looks. "Don't ask, just go with it."

"You guys remembered Dr. Richards, who had looked the both of you over?" Johnny asked. When Takeda and Jin both nodded, Johnny continued, "Doom's had some serious beef with Mr. Fantastic and his band of heroes over the years. But since Doom has promised to protect Richards' daughter, you may have a chance to get him to join us."

Stark dismissed the hologram. "Knowing Victor, he'd probably be insulted with what Raiden has planned for the planet, that is, if he knows already about what has happened here. And speaking from past experiences with the man, Doom doesn't take too kindly to insults." Turning to Cassie, he asked, "So how does Doom owe you a favor?"

"I saved the life of his favorite ambassador a while back while I was visiting my Aunt Rebecca in Europe," Cassie explained. "Bout the same time that I made First Lieutenant. Say what you want about the man, but he's quite affable. He promised me a reward, I asked only for a favor that I can cash in at any time. He agreed."

"There you go," Sonya said, "your first mission. Tomorrow, you and your team will head for Latveria and speak with Doctor Doom."

"You're not going alone," Stark said, dismissing the hologram. "You may need some extra firepower. Just in case Doom's not friendly."

"As much as I want to go myself, I can't commit, let alone anyone else from my team," Cyclops said, breaking his silence. "I have to oversee the preparations regarding Utopia."

Cassie considered her options. "I know that Simon will want to come along," she mused. To Cap, she said, "Blue, I'll bring along Rand, Danvers and Walters."

"Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk..." Cap mused. "Good choices. And Rand's recovered from his injuries. What time do you plan on leaving?"

Cassie took a moment to think about that. "Around sixteen-hundred."

"I'll let them know," Cap said. "Sixteen-hundred."

"Should give you more than enough time to settle your differences with your cousin," Cassie said, addressing Jin, who nodded. "One more thing..."

Cassie raised her hand. From behind Johnny's desk, two items floated into view. Sento, Kenshi's sword, now Takeda's and the Dragon's Head Bow. The two weapons in question floated into their respective owner's hands.

"Your dad saved us, Takeda," Cassie said, with both Captain America and Frost both nodding, backing Cassie's claim. "He showed us the way out of Earthrealm."

Takeda looked at the sword, the only keepsake from his father. He bowed his head in reverence. 'Papa-san...thank you.'

Sento pulsed softly, as if Kenshi was saying, 'You're welcome.'

Sonya cleared her throat. "You will be staying inside you hospital rooms for the time being. In the meantime, you're free to wander around the grounds, but you can't leave the main headquarters, understood?"

Team S-F nodded.

"Good. Dismissed."


	36. 26: Clearing the Air

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Clearing The Air**

Snafu's Notes: Once again, I have written one long-ass chapter (about 21 pages, rather than my usual 11). I was going to split it in two, but said fuck it. Here we go...

Following the reformation of Team S-F and dismissing the team for the day, Jax decided to wander the grounds. The heroes and S.H.I.E.L.D. respectfully kept their distance, as he was a man grieving the loss of his wife.

The bionic-armed warrior had suspected that the Cage family had told the others about Vera Briggs' violent end at the hands of Kano, and that he was mourning the loss of his wife. Jacqui had focused her grieving on learning the ropes of her new bionic arms.

Jax's wanderings of the Cage Inc.'s main complex had led him to the site of Kano's death. He stood in the lobby, staring at the two scorch marks on the floor. His hand balled into a fist as he remembered Kano taunting him about his wife's death whilst under Raiden's control.

 _"You took my eye. I fucked your bitch. Fair trade, if you ask me."_

Jax's hand balled into a fist. While he was thankful to Cassie for avenging Vera, he honestly wanted to rip Kano's arms off and smash his head in like a melon for what he and his son had done to her.

Before leaving Johnny's office, Cassie had showed him Kano's final fight. Seeing it and hearing about it were two very different things entirely. Seeing Kano beg for his life when it became clear that he was going to die did bring the former major a sense of satisfaction. He just found it ironic that it was Cassie herself that had dealt the deathblow, using his own sins against him to obliterate his soul.

Given who Cassie had drew inspiration from to finish Kano, Jax would not want to meet the Ghost Rider, given his own sins, both as a former revenant and while under Raiden's control.

"She must have been quite a woman, Major."

Jax was so caught up in his reverie that he did not notice T'Challa walk up behind him. The Wakandan-born superhero stood alongside the Earthrealm exile.

"She was." Jax sighed. "We were high school sweethearts, married after I got my commission. Even when my job in S-F kept me away from home...she was always there, supporting me. Always having my back."

"It would appear that General Blade could have taken some pointers from you back when she was in command," T'Challa noted.

"All this time, I thought that Johnny divorced her the first time around back in Earthrealm. Now...I find out that wasn't the case. Johnny Cage may have been a fool, but he tried to make his marriage with Sonya work."

"That, I also know. The Cage family showed us their past back in Earthrealm hours before Kano attacked." The younger man paused for a moment. "I know what it's like to lose someone, Major."

"Jax. I'm not a Major. Gave that up."

"And from what I've seen, I don't blame you. My father, T'Chaka, was the King of Wakanda, and Black Panther before me. My kingdom is small, yet we are considered the most technologically advanced nation on the planet. I was a teenager when my father was invited to the Bilderberg Conference to negotiate the use of Wakandan goods. When my father refused them, taking them to task in regards to their love of materialistic wealth, they ordered our assassination. I survived by fighting off the assassin."

"I'm sorry."

"Had the roles been reversed...I would have killed Kano myself had he laid a hand on Ororo. That is, if there was anything left of him once Danvers and the other females were finished with him," T'Challa added, remembering how the superheroines were about to rip Darren limb from limb after hearing him gloat about how he and Kano raped and murdered Vera, and would most likely do the same to Kano himself.

"How do you know Johnny and Sonya?"

"I met them when they were vacationing in Wakanda. Well, I met Ravenna first. That girl has a brilliant mind."

Jax smiled. "That she does." His expresison fell. "But it still hurts...I mean, I was aware the entire time...Kano...he gloated about what he had done to my wife to my face, and I couldn't do anything. I was screaming on the inside, to break free of Raiden's corruption and break his neck. Now...after three years..."

T'Challa placed a hand on Jax's shoulder. "I know."

"Want some advice?" Jax grunted. "Hold on to your wife, and never let go. You'll never know when it will be the last time you get to hold her."

Brushing off T'Challa's hand, Jax walked out of the lobby. T'Challa didn't bother to follow him. Jax needed time to grieve. And honestly, he didn't blame him.

One thing for sure, the Black Panther needed to find his wife. Jax's advice did have some merit. Right now, he needed Ororo.

* * *

Office of Chairman Johnny Cage, the following day.

Following the siege led by the now-deceased Kano and the Black Dragon-Hand forces and the mission into Earthrealm that not only resulted in the rescue of his youngest daughter, but the successful retrieval of Jax and Team S-F, Johnny barely had time for himself. With the threat of Raiden and Earthrealm, Cage Incorporated was his home away from home, if only temporary, Johnny playing host to both the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.

At least S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark and Rand had agreed to reimburse him once this was all over.

Even with what was going on, Johnny had barely enough time to relax, unless it was either for food or sleep. Now, he was at least given some form of reprieve as he was alone in his office. At least he still had a spare set of clothes stashed away. Okay, it was his dark blue henley and his khaki pants, the sleeveless hooded jacket – a copy of the original that he had lost – was slung behind his chair. His sidearm – an S-F issued Glock 19 – rested on his desk, next to some random bits of paperwork and his favorite pair of shades.

Even as the Chairman of Cage Incorporated, he could not rest easy. If it wasn't the costumed supervillains running amok, it was his former boss, a corrupted thunder god wanting his and Sonya's heads on a platter and ultimately, turn this planet into one giant, smoking crater.

And given the fact that both girls had barbecued Raiden, it was safe to say that now, all bets were off.

"That's the first time I've seen you close your eyes ever since all of this began," Sonya said as she entered the office, the door locking behind her. One of the perks that she enjoyed as the wife of Cage Inc.'s chairman was Level 3 access to his office. She looked just as worn out as he was, but still alert.

"I do it when you're not looking," her husband replied.

"How long have you slept?"

"A good twelve hours," he replied. "You?"

"About the same," Sonya replied as she walked over to her husband. "The cots you got stashed away are surprisingly comfortable."

Johnny pointed to the couch. "That couch has every cot beat."

Sonya smirked as she sat on the edge of the desk. "I agree with you on that." Many a time Sonya visited her husband at the office when he was swamped with paperwork. Sometimes, he didn't go home, which meant he slept in the office. And Sonya kept a spare uniform or three inside the office whenever she stayed over.

Johnny looked at his watch. It was almost noon.

"So where's Cassie and the others?"

"Cassie's onboard the Helicarrier hoping to get Mavado to talk, Takeda is with her," Sonya reported. "Ravenna's helping Cyclops and Emma Frost with securing Utopia. Jin's with Mey, on his way to meet Kung Lao. Jax is showing Jacqui the ropes regarding her new arms. And Frost is training with Iron Fist. I've talked with both Cass and Rogers. Cassie will be leaving for Latveria at fourteen hundred hours."

"Two hours early..." Johnny mused. "Better to get it over with, I guess. You told the others?"

"I did. Cap's briefing Danvers, Rand and Walters as we speak. I just got off the phone with Mayor Sinclair and the Governor. San Francisco's in a state of emergency, as is the rest of California."

"And the President?" her husband asked.

"I just got through talking with him and the Joint Chiefs. The President has declared martial law in light of these events, and will remain until Raiden is dealt with. Julia is guessing that Raiden's forces will likely counterattack in the next couple of days."

Johnny rose from his seat and walked over to the window. Outside, S.H.I.E.L.D., S-F, the X-Men and the Avengers were patrolling the main headquarters. "You know, we're getting too old for this kind of thing," he mused.

Sonya walked over to him. "But we still have a job to do."

"Heh. Guess it's a good thing that we're both professionals."

"Some more than others," Sonya noted as she idly trailed her hand alongside her husband's. "You know...reconnecting with Jax and Cassie's team...it made me realize just how fortunate you've decided to drag me along. You didn't have to...but you did."

"Well, Cassie would probably hate me if I left you back in Earthrealm," Johnny said. "And I wouldn't have the drive to better myself, let alone build the company. I would had gone back to acting had it not been for you. And there's Ravenna."

Sonya smiled. Outside, he was Johnny Cage, the charming, charismatic martial artist who had built one of the world's most successful conglomerates. But to her, he was still John Carlton, hero, husband and father. He was the man that she had fallen in love with...and divorced the first time around because she felt that he was a hindrance to her job. And here she was, back in love with him again, only this time, they learned from the mistakes of their past marriages, and now, they were solid.

"We've been though a lot, haven't we?" Sonya asked.

Johnny grinned. "We lived."

"That, and then some." She interlocked her hand into hers. "Thank you, Johnny. For bringing me along for the ride."

Johnny's response was just to kiss her. Sonya responded with the same intensity and passion that he had. Originally, following the divorce, Sonya still held onto some lingering feelings towards her then-ex-husband. She saw it as a weakness, as did her enemies. But that charisma, that swagger, she found it to be incredibly sexy.

Had it not been for Raiden going batshit crazy and the Avengers and X-Men fighting over Cassie and Ravenna, it would have been only a matter of time before Sonya had jumped on him.

"You know..." Sonya panted as she and Johnny broke off the kiss, "if we didn't have to deal with Raiden and everything else...I'd lock you in the bedroom and make you beg for mercy."

Johnny's grin went smug. "Had it not been for all of this shit we have to deal with...I'd have hurt you in the bedroom. Again."

They would have kissed again had it not been for Sonya's phone ringing in her pocket. The couple groaned as the Cage family matriarch retrieved her phone and answered it. "Blade...okay, I'm on the way." Upon ending the phone, she gave her husband an apologetic look. "Gotta report in to the top brass. They're a bit concerned over their interests in the company."

Johnny snorted. "You mean they want to protect their contracts." He kissed her on the forehead. "No rest for the weary, babe. Especially us." He released Sonya from the embrace and gave her a pat on her backside. "Off you go."

Sonya left the room. Johnny turned back to the window, and sighed. 'I am getting way too old for this shit,' he thought.

* * *

Portsmouth Square, at the same time...

Fear. Anticipation. Dread. Hesitation. Kung Jin was feeling all four and then some. He was a Shaolin warrior and monk, trained to let go of his emotions in order to achieve enlightenment. But now, despite Mey's reassurances that his elder cousin was not going to condemn him because of his preferences, Jin was pretty much petrified.

Hell, the last time the two cousins had seen each other, Lao was trying to kill him.

He stood on the overpass of Portsmouth Square, dressed incognito, watching as some of the elders led a Tai Chi class. Nineteen years ago, Johnny Cage and Liu Kang stood in this same spot and had forged a non-aggression pact. A pact that had been honored between the Red Lotus and the Cage family. Neither side interfered in the other's affairs, and pretty much left the other alone. Goes to show that some wounds still ran deep.

But, the mistrust between the former champions had lessened in the years away from Earthrealm. San Francisco had been nuked back in Earthrealm, the Black Dragon's handiwork. Now, Kano was dead, as were his lieutenants, the Black Dragon destroyed. A small smile made his way across his lips as he remembered Cassie showing him the memory of his demise. Given her family's history with Kano and the fact that Jacqui's mother had met a horrific end at his hands, his death was a long time coming.

"Feels strange, doesn't it?"

Jin had been so caught up in his reverie/brooding that he didn't notice his elder cousin stand alongside him. Despite the razor-rimmed hat that kept the sun out of his eyes, Lao was clad in more traditional Chinese-style attire.

He looked so different, Jin realized. It was as if he had aged some twenty years, looking about the same age as Liu Kang. When he was a revenant, he was bald, his hat just as corrupted as he was. Now, here he was, alive, dark hair tied in a ponytail. But his eyes...they looked somber, combined with a sense of sadness.

Jin could only nod.

Lao sighed as he looked out over the landscape. "I'm not angry over your preferences, Jin. I just want to get that out of the way. No one can have a say over who we love."

Jin snorted. "Mama didn't see it that way. She saw my desires as a stain on the Kung family name."

Lao scoffed. "Yian isn't one to talk. Well...if she was still alive. Walk with me."

The younger Kung fell into step alongside the elder Kung. "I know it's been hard. Trying to live up to the expectations of the family. Believe me, I've been there. And contrary to what my sister may have told you, the Kung family wasn't always perfect."

"Compared to Cassie's family, I think our family was normal."

Lao chuckled. "Even now, it still boggles the mind as to how Johnny Cage managed to woo someone like Sonya Blade."

A memory resurfaced in Lao's mind, from many, many years ago. One that made Lao smile, if ever so slightly. Jade had just flipped and Johnny was lamenting about how Raiden had 'snagged another one.'

 _"What's Raiden got that I haven't got?"_

 _"Godlike power?"_

 _"And a personality that is not at all like sanding paper."_

 _"...Jerks."_

Jin grunted. "I wondered that myself when the Shaolin assigned me to Team S-F. Cassie and I had butted heads in the past...but it turns out that she had her own problems; self-doubt and trying to live up to her parents' expectations. Well, mostly her mother's."

"I think defeating Shinnok whilst powered by the Jinsei may have given her a confidence boost...well, up until Raiden screwed her over."

"She fought Shinnok. I dealt with D'Vorah. I got off easy. Same with Jacqui and Takeda."

"I know," Lao replied mildly. "We left the lot of you half-dead while Cassie risked her life to save her father and Earthrealm. It seems that making the impossible possible is a Cage family trait."

"That and making plans on the fly," Jin said. "Can't disagree that it produces results." Something then clicked in Jin's head. "You said that our family had its own skeletons in its closet."

Lao nodded. "None more so than my namesake. The Great Kung Lao was a skilled fighter, of which there was no doubt. He just...drew the wrong crowd to his person." Seeing that he had Jin's attention, Lao continued on. "Before joining the Shaolin, Kung Lao was a healer specializing in acupuncture. One day, a rival cousin from the ruling class challenged him. Lao refused, knowing that if he had won the match, it would mean his death. Despite making Lao's life a living hell by destroying his practice and stealing his betrothed, Lao would not budge, until finally, his cousin murdered a beggar and framed Lao for the crime."

"Lao was faced with the choice of kombat in exchange for the charges to be dropped," Jin guessed.

The elder Kung nodded. "Lao gave the man what he wanted. But when it became clear that the cousin would have him sent to the chopping block regardless of how the match had ended, Lao crippled his cousin, and fled the city. He found his way to a mountain temple, where the Shaolin took him in. There, Bo' Rai Cho found him...and the rest is history."

"Bo' Rai Cho is dead," Jin deadpanned. "Raiden killed him. He refused to surrender, and Raiden electrocuted him to death."

Lao sighed. "I and the other revenants had hoped to apologize for our actions towards him back at the Sky Temple. Another thing that Raiden must answer for." He then pre-empted Jin. "You're wondering how I know so much about our ancestor's past?"

Jin nodded. "The thought did cross my mind."

"It was after Mortal Kombat, after Liu had beaten Shang Tsung the first time around. I decided to meditate at the Great Kung Lao's grave. Then, for some strange reason, I touched the headstone. What I told you were memories, Jin. My memories. It's not every day you find out that you're a reincarnation of a legendary Shaolin warrior such as Kung Lao himself." He shrugged his shoulders, while Jin gaped at him. "I let it get to my head. Raiden chose me to fight in Outworld."

"Your hubris led to your death," Jin said. "Yeah, Johnny told me about that, how Shao Kahn snapped your neck."

Lao sighed. "My death was my own fault. I should have known better than to turn my back on him." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"So you're with the Red Lotus now?" Jin asked.

Lao nodded. "Just as you have rejoined Team S-F. Redemption can take on many forms, but there is one absolute: it is earned, not given. Your redemption lies with Cassandra Cage and her parents. Mine lies with Liu Kang. And no, I will not become an assassin. Liu has offered me the chance to train up the recruits."

"Thank the gods," Jin muttered.

"Jin...no one's perfect," Lao said. He turned to face him. "Not you, and especially not me." He placed one hand on Jin's shoulder. "No matter what happens...you can take comfort that I am proud of you. You saved Earthrealm, something that I myself failed to do."

Jin exhaled sharply. To hear this coming from his cousin...well, it meant a lot to him. All he could say was, "Thank you."

"If you need my guidance, or advice, or even someone to talk to...don't hesitate to contact me," Lao said. He pulled out a scrap sheet of paper and handed it to the Shaolin archer. "My private number."

Jin memorized the number and destroyed the scrap sheet of paper. "When I get settled in...we'll talk some more."

"The good general's throwing your team back into the fire?"

Jin nodded. "Escort mission. We're heading for Latervia later on today. Apparently, Cassie's got some pull with the country's boss to have a sit-down with him."

"I must return to the Red Lotus," Lao said. "Liu needs my help overseeing the preperations for the inevitable moment when Raiden returns."

"Do you have to leave just now?" Jin asked. "I got time. About...thirty minutes, tops."

"As do I. We have a lot of catching up to do. And I would like to get to know my little cousin a bit better."

Jin smiled at that. Maybe this meeting wasn't such a bad idea after all.

* * *

With Cassie and Takeda, onboard the Helicarrier...

The eyepatch had originally belonged to Maria Hill's predecessor. Even she found Takeda's horrific eye injury squeamish, which led to her ordering Dum Dum Dugan to retrieve one of Fury's spare eyepatches from his personal effects.

Cassie had said that he looked more like a ninja pirate with the eyepatch. At least now he won't have to use his Shirai Ryu headband to hide the injury.

Cassandra Cage had spent the morning preparing for the mission into Latveria. Prior to that, she had been experimenting with opening portals with Magik's help, and at the same time, making sure that the portal detection technology worked, as it had been a while since it had been used. So far, Cassie was getting the hang of conjuring portals, and both S.H.I.E.L.D. and S-F had her energy signatures on file, meaning that they won't freak out whenever she conjured a portal.

Takeda noticed that the catsuit was the same one he had saw her in back in Earthrealm when she fought both himself and Jacqui. Her dual Desert Eagles were secured to her holsters, her short blonde hair undone, rather than in her bun. A black leather flight jacket with blue trim along the sleeves covered the upper half of the catsuit, the patch of the American flag and a second patch of the old S-F flag stitched onto the right sleeve, the sleeves themselves rolled up to her elbows.

Upon returning to Earthrealm and following her redemption from Shujinko, Cassie had returned the old S-F flag back to her mother.

Even now, Maria Hill thought it to be weird, seeing as how Cassie was older than her. She was a maverick, sure, but when it came down to it, she was all business. Goes to show just how far Maria's views of the elder daughter of Johnny and Sonya had come in the days following the battle at Cage Incorporated.

Once Jax and Cassie's team was freed of the corruption, they had been debriefed by Sonya, Johnny, Captain America, Iron Man and Maria Hill. The revelations of what they had experienced under Raiden's control, not to mention the extension of his crimes were...disturbing.

Frost had told them what she knew, regarding Hotaru's alliance with Raiden in exchange for the genocide of Chaosrealm's denziens. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Raiden, for lack of a better term, had made 'crimes against humanity' down to an art form.

But one key element was missing. The exact size of Raiden's forces. That was where Mavado came in...albeit, unwillingly. Sure Cassie had looked into Kano's mind and he claimed that he knew the numbers of Raiden's forces, but she suspected that Raiden didn't tell Kano the entire truth. After all, the mad god did plan on screwing the Black Dragon over.

Nitara - of whom Quan Chi had accquired the blood magik that would become known as the Blood Code - was dead, along with her vampire tribe, as Raiden killed her and destroyed her tribe. Kano had taken a nuke to the vampires, and that was the end of them. Kotal Kahn's capital, Z'Unkarrah, was turned into a smoking crater by Raiden. Jax and Team S-F had taken part in the slaughter and had witnessed its destruction.

Rain had attempted to lead the resistance alongside Darrius and Dairou, but Raiden and Hotaru had wiped them out. No mercy, no quarter. In fact, any form of resistance was dealt with extreme prejudice. In effect, by merging Outworld with Earthrealm and the following war, Raiden had blasted Earthrealm back to the Stone Age. Only his forces had the technology needed to quell any uprising.

And there was Fujin...

Raiden had tortured him, demanding the whereabouts of Cassie and her family. This, Jax witnessed. Fujin didn't crack. Not even when Raiden ripped out his tongue, did Fujin break. Of course, Fujin's tongue grew back, but Raiden had drained him of his godlike essence just to keep him alive until he felt like torturing him again.

In regards to Jax and Team S-F's role in Raiden's forces the past three years, it had been Captain America who had spoken in their defense. While they were aware, they were not in control. Bucky - the Winter Soldier - could attest to that, as did Cassie herself, due to her past exposure to the Blood Code and the Purple Man's mind control.

As Jax and Team S-F were now exiles like the older kombatants, they needed records; birth certificates and the like. That was where Johnny Cage had came in. A couple of planted records here and there, and the citizenship status for his former charges and Jax. Jacqui was quietly placed in S-F, thanks to Sonya's machinations. No one would suspect anything, and S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers would keep their secret.

And then, there was Mavado. Ever since throwing him into a holding cell, Mavado said not a word aside from the occasional threats. That was where Cassie came in.

As for Takeda, he was patrolling the grounds of Cage Incorporated with some of the Avengers when Cassie had gang-pressed him into coming onboard the Helicarrier. With Jin talking with Kung Lao and Jacqui getting the hang of her new arms, that left Cassie to take a crack at Mavado.

Cassie was known for pulling off the impossible, as it was a Cage speciality. But even Takeda realized that kidnapping Daegon's No.2 man might be crossing the line.

"It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing," Cassie had admitted later on. "We know what Raiden has planned thanks to Uncle Jax and the rest of you. But now, we need Mavado's side of the story."

"If he talks," Takeda had replied.

"Oh, he'll talk. My unique charisma will win him over."

The sinister undertone of Cassie's sentence still sent shivers down his spine, even now. Despite her maverick tendecies, Cassie Cage was still a professional. A bit more ruthless, but still, a professional.

"Has he said anything?" Cassie asked Maria Hill as the blonde captain followed the younger (yes, younger) woman down the corridors of the Helicarrier. Just a few short years ago, Cassie had been hauled in here in handcuffs. Now, she was here to try and get Mavado to talk, accompanied by the aforementioned Shirai Ryu chujin, Simon Williams, Captain America, Dum Dum Dugan and the Black Widow.

"Other than the occasional threats about how Raiden and Daegon's gonna kill us all, nothing," Maria replied.

"Have you tried poking around in his head?"

"That was the first thing Director Hill had Agent Hook try," Widow replied. "Mavado has some serious mental blocks inside his head. They could be just as potent as the ones inside your own head, Captain."

"Are you sure that he'll talk to you, Cassie?" Cap asked.

"I split the guy open with his own hookswords when I was seventeen. Oh, he'll talk to me. And if he wants to do things the hard way..."

"Cassie, no torture," Cap warned.

"Oh, I'm not gonna torture him, Blue," Cassie replied. "You worry too much. Sometimes, the most difficult problem needs a practical solution."

"Define 'practical,'" Simon asked in a dry tone.

"We know that Agent Hook can't break into his mind. Let's see if I can do better. Professor X taught me a couple of tricks. Let's see if they work on him."

"We have him locked away in a special cell that was designed for the Hulk, just in case he got onboard the Helicarrier again," Maria continued. "Tony Stark had it commissioned after Hulk's little rampage in New York."

Cassie smirked at that. Tony and his band of heroes had it coming, shooting Banner into space. Of course he was gonna come back. Of course he was gonna be pissed.

"For the record, this plan to get Doom on our side is a bad idea," Maria said, changing the subject.

"Noted, Director," Cassie replied. "But we need a sorcerer who can fight. Raiden has his in Shang Tsung. Strange can't fight. Magik, while I helped trained alongside Hope with Ravenna, isn't up to his level. Like it or not, we need Victor Von Doom on our side."

"Still a bad idea," Simon added.

"No faith in me," Cassie pouted. "Any luck on Shinnok's Amulet?"

"We tried using many methods to destroy the damn thing." Dugan reported. "Repulsor blasts, optic blasts. Hell, even Luke Cage tried to turn it into scrap. Nothing."

"You best bet it to have Magik and Strange seal it away," Cassie said.

"Your mother said the same thing," Hill said.

"That damned amulet has been the bane of my family for many years," Cassie said. "It's a literal homing beacon for anyone wanting to take it for themselves. Trust me, I know. Can you really risk someone like Loki or M.O.D.O.K. getting their hands on that damn amulet?"

"We can't," Cap deadpanned, remembering the memories of Cassie's parents and her own regarding the amulet.

"And here we are," Maria said, stopping in front of the door that led to Mavado's cell.

"Is he still secure?" Cassie asked.

Producing a tablet, Dugan punched in several keys. Sure enough, there was a live feed showing Mavado inside his cell, on his knees in a meditative position.

"You searched him before throwing him in there, right?" Cassie asked.

"He had a couple of surprises," Dugan replied. "As per your mother's orders, we had them destroyed."

Cassie nodded. "Good."

Maria punched in the keys and the doors slid open. Cassie stepped into the room, flanked by Hill, Romanoff, and Cap. Dugan remained behind.

In the middle of the cell, Mavado was in the seiza position, meditating, his eyes closed. In front of the cell, was a steel chair. Walking over to it, Cassie slid it over, getting his attention, and sat down in front of him.

Mavado opened his eyes, and saw the bane of his existence. He did not move from his place on the floor, though. "I knew you'd come, Cassandra," Mavado said. "It was inevitable."

"Unfortunately, you were right." Cassie tilted her head. "So...here we are, once again, Mavado. You the Kano to my Sonya. So how do you think this will end?"

As if he was stating the obvious, Mavado replied, "Simple. With this realm subjugated. Or destroyed. Although I'm certain that Lord Raiden will choose the latter for this realm."

Cassie smirked. "You, nor Raiden, obviously don't know this realm very well. Despite Shang Tsung absorbing Elektra's soul, that's only the tip of the iceberg."

"Your bluffing skills are less than par," Mavado sneered. "Perhaps you should try taking notes from your father." He turned to Simon. "You must be the boyfriend. You have that look about you. I remember you...you were with Cassandra's team back in Earthrealm." His sneer turned sinister. "The Red Dragon may not lower themselves to the level of depravity as the Red Dragon does..." He turned back to Cassie and Maria. "...but I'm sure that both Lords Daegon and Raiden will make the exception."

Simon took a step forward, but a raised hand from Cassie stopped him.

"You stopped him. Good. Had you let him inside, I would have beaten him," Mavado laughed.

"I stopped him not to save his neck, but yours," Cassie replied. "Tell me...how would Raiden fare against someone like Apocalypse? Or maybe, Mister Sinister? Raiden is powerful, sure. But against some of the more powerful being in this realm, they can turn him into a red smear."

"Why didn't you bring them with you when you returned to Earthrealm?" Mavado demanded.

Cassie chuckled. "You have eyes, yet, you're still blind. I'm one of them, along with my sister." She gestured to Simon. "Simon is another."

"It still doesn't matter. Raiden will kill you all once he arrives," Mavado replied. He looked at Takeda. "I see you have Kenshi's bastard with you. You always had a soft spot for your former team, Cassandra. That will prove to be your undoing."

"Enlighten me."

This time, it was Mavado who smirked. "Do you know of the crimes they have committed in Raiden's name? The lives they have taken?" His smirk deepened. "You remember, don't you, Takeda? You were aware, but unable to break free of Raiden's control." He looked at Captain America. "I wonder how your allies would take the news that your team is nothing more than a bunch of murderers?"

Cap's answer shot Mavado down. "We're all aware of their crimes. They were brainwashed into serving a madman. I will not condemn them for their actions, as they weren't in control. I should know, as my best friend was brainwashed into becoming an assassin. Sometimes, people are forced into circumstances beyond their control. I don't blame him for his crimes, but Bucky is trying to atone for them."

Cassie knew who Cap was talking about. Bucky Barnes. A World War II vet like Captain America, he was thought to have been killed in action. In truth, he was recovered by the Soviets, and brainwashed into becoming an assassin. When not in use, he was stored in deep freeze.

Cassie had fought against him a couple of times. A good warrior, but she was better.

"But we're not here about them," Cassie said. "Don't think of this as you being a prisoner of war. You're my guest, and S.H.I.E.L.D. is the host. Of course, given that you were Daegon's right-hand man, we need to take the necessary precautions to ensure our safety."

"This is the deal, Mavado," Hill said. "We got a real good look at how Raiden worked thanks to Jax and the others. Even Frost contributed to the dissertation. Now...it's your turn. We know that Raiden favored the Red Dragon over the Black Dragon. We also have a feeling that Kano was full of shit when he claimed to know Raiden's numbers."

"Save it," Mavado snapped. "I know what you want, Hill. You want to know Raiden's military strength. He was smart to keep it from Jax and the others. But you will not get anything out of me. Your Agent Hill tried to invade my mind, and was unsuccessful." He turned back to Cassie. "You just wasted my time...and yours. I won't give up nothing about Raiden's forces."

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "I had a feeling you'd say that. Good thing I was distracting you this entire time." Grinning at Mavado's surprised expression, Cassie tapped her temple. "I'm a mutant, remember? Those mental blocks that Daegon had put in your head were pretty impressive. But I've seen better. Tell me...did you feel a slight tingling sensation in the back of your skull, but didn't think nothing else of it?"

Mavado froze. He did felt what Cassie described, but dismissed it as nothing serious.

"Yeah, that was your mental blocks breaking down," Cassie continued, enjoying the look of rage that was building on Mavado's face. "The perk of being mentored by one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. And after that...your mind was like an open book to us. Uncle Jax was open to what he knew. You just confirmed it."

Mavado was trembling. He had just betrayed the Red Dragon without even realizing it. The mental blocks had been put in by Daegon himself, and reinforced with Shang Tsung's sorcery. And Cassandra Cage had broken through them without even trying. Not even Kenshi nor his son could accomplish such a feat.

"So..." Cassie turned to Maria. "Ryker's Island...? Or Prison 42?"

"Prison 42 for him," Maria replied.

"YOU BITCH!"

Cassie and the others turned back to Mavado's cell. He was now on his feet, punching and kicking at the shatterproof glass. For Takeda, this was the first time that he had seen the cool and composed Mavado look angry. The fact that Cassie had outmaneuvered him must have really stung.

"I'LL KILL YOU, CAGE! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Mavado screamed. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"Such language, Mavado," Cassie teased. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Takeda looked worried, but a side glance from Cassie told him that everything was under control.

"YOU'RE DEAD, CAGE! I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF! THIS WHOLE REALM IS DEAD! LORD RAIDEN WILL SEE TO IT!" Mavado screamed.

Cassie sighed. Then she stretched out her hand, almost casually, towards Mavado.

Mavado's rant and threats were abruptly cut off when he felt his throat tighten. He coughed as he clawed at his throat, trying to breathe. He would have fallen to his knees had it not been for Cassie making him float into the air.

"You know...that's the same look that Kano gave when I did this to him." Cassie said. "Turned the same shade of red, too." She cocked her head. "Would you like to know how Kano died? I killed him, after both me and Mom had beaten him within an inch of his life. Of course, you probably know that already, otherwise, the Red Dragon wouldn't have attacked Fort Charles."

Cap moved in to intervene, but Takeda placed a hand on his shoulder. ' **She's not going to kill him, Cap,** ' he said mentally. ' **She's not that cold**.'

"Oh, how I want to end you," Cassie said. "But you're worth more to me alive than dead. Daegon will come for you. I know this." Mavado's eyes widened in horror as Cassie's blue irises then changed from purple, then to red, the whites going black. Unknown to Mavado, Cassie could project her memories without the Phoenix Force. With Johnny Cage for a father, she had a flair for the dramatic. " **Look into my eyes, Mavado...and don't blink.** "

Mavado couldn't close his eyes. Not that he wanted to, as Cassie's memories invaded his skull. He watched as both Sonya and Cassie took apart Kano, but not before Sonya breaking Darren's neck. Mavado felt Cassie and Sonya's rage. But most importantly, he felt Kano's fear.

It was the first time that Mavado had seen Kano...petrified.

And his screams...Mavado didn't even realize that Kano could scream. He could see all of the crimes that Kano had committed as Cassie stared into his eyes, forcing Kano to relive them until they killed him.

Then, it was all over. Mavado fell to the floor, coughing as his lungs took huge swallows of air. Cassandra Cage had all but verified what he and Daegon had just heard.

 **TAP. TAP.**

Mavado turned to the glass. Cassie had sat down on the floor, legs crossed Indian-style, tapping on it, gaining his attention, a somewhat psychotic grin on her face, yer eyes going back to normal. "Not so tough now after I've taken the piss out of ya, Mavado?" she taunted. "If you think what I did to Kano was bad, imagine what would happen if I got my hands on Daegon? As you've seen with Kano, his sins is what killed him."

"You...you're a monster..." Mavado gasped.

Cassie chuckled. "Compared to Daegon and Raiden, I'm a saint. Now you see the difference between us, Mavado? If you think I'm bad...oh, you've seen nothing yet. Maybe I can introduce Daegon to the Ghost Rider. Oh, the possibilities..." She stood up. "Before I forget...if you're still alive after this and still want a shot at the title, I'll be waiting."

Turning on her heels, she swaggered out of the room, followed by the group of heroes and Takeda.

"So what are we dealing with?" Cap asked as the doors behind them shut.

"Raiden's got some serious firepower," Cassie said, transferring what she had seen in Mavado's thoughts to Cap and Maria Hill. "Aside from the Red Dragon, he's got the Seidan Guard backing him up, confirming Frost's story. The Tarkarta you have already seen. But the Shokan...that's what worries me."

"Shokan?" Maria repeated.

"Half-human, half-dragon warriors," Takeda explained. "They hail from Kuatan, an underground kingdom in Outworld. If you see an 8-foot-tall mountain of muscle with four arms, and a bad attitude, you've met a Shokan. There's two main species of the Shokan: the Draco and the Tigrar."

Cap and Maria nodded. They've both seen the Shokan from Johnny and Sonya's memories back at the Cove.

"Turns out that Kano didn't entirely nuked the Shokan forces," Cassie continued. "Goro is leading the Shokan, having taken the throne after killing Queen Sheeva." She frowned. "But Raiden's got the Centaurians backing him as well, and those two races don't get along."

"Centaurians? Wait..." Maria racked her brain. "You mean the human-horse hybrids that we've seen when Shao Kahn invaded Earthrealm?"

Cassie nodded. "Those guys are vicious. Even more so than the Shokan. And Motaro's leading them. I thought Raiden killed him."

"He didn't," Takeda replied. "Daegon revived him. Probably used the same method he used to restore Goro's arms. The Red Dragon was always the more sneaky of the two, preferring subterfuge over brute force."

"I told Mom the same thing, and Julia agrees with me," Cassie said. "I need to report in," Cassie said as she stretched out her hand. A portal, crackling with the green shadow energy of her bloodline and mixed with bits of azure lightning, materialized into existence (think Atrocitus' intro from Injustice 2 when he emerges from a portal). Cassie, Cap, Romanoff, and Takeda stepped through the portal, while Maria remained onboard the Helicarrier.

"I seriously can't get the hang of that," Cap muttered as he, Cassie, Simon, Romanoff and Takeda emerged from the portal, Cassie having placed them inside the lobby of Cage Incorporated's main building. Romanoff looked somewhat queasy, but maintained her composure.

"The nausea will pass in a moment, Natasha," Cassie said. "It was like that with me when I went through the first time." Something outside then caught her attention. "Now what?"

Cap, Takeda Simon, and Natasha followed Cassie's line of sight. Armed SHIELD operatives and S-F troops were running towards a disturbance, Cassie identifying her mother, Jacqui and Frost among them.

They soon saw the reason why. Near the front gate, a portal - blue in color - has appeared.

"Is that you?" Simon asked.

Cassie shook her head. "No. It's Red Lotus. I recognize the energy signature." She paused to unholster one of her Desert Eagles. "But just to be on the safe side..."

Cassie walked out of the lobby, accompanied by Takeda and three of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

* * *

At the same time, with Johnny...

Coming up on the rooftop of the main building helped Johnny to think. So much has happened in the past several days. It reminded him of the days before Mortal Kombat, back when all he had to worry about was the film critics calling his movies fake. Back before he was drawn into Earthrealm intrigue, and the war between Raiden and those who sought to conquer Earthrealm. Clad in his favorite blue henley, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his pair of khaki pants and work boots, Johnny looked over the grounds, king of all he surveyed. His old S-F issued Glock was strapped to his leg.

He knew that Raiden would not take his and Cassie fleeing Earthrealm lying down, nor the fact that he had dragged Sonya along for the ride, freeing her of the corruption in the process.

Looking up, he saw the Helicarrier hovering overhead, with several of the superheroes in flight, patrolling the grounds. Thankfully, the reporters had mostly dispersed, yet some of them lingered around the front gate. However, the reporters had been ordered to move back at least 100 yards, the front gate guarded by S-F soldiers.

He had lost so much, Sonya and Cassie included. But in some cases, an ending can be a beginning in disguise. Without the pressures of Hollywood and S-F on the both of them, they managed to rebuild their relationship. Sonya learned to trust him more and Johnny had accepted that the military was her life aside from him and Cassie, and that there was a life outside the silver screen. But she wasn't as obsessed with her job as she had been, which had been one of the main reasons why they had split the first time around.

Coming to the roof was something that he did in order to think and reflect. Before all of this had happened, the Avengers and the X-Men were about to fight over Cassie and Ravenna over the Phoenix Force. Now, they were united under a common enemy in the form of his former mentor and friend. Well, more or less.

"Sonya said you might be here."

Johnny didn't turn around, but he knew Jax's voice from anywhere. Plus, the cigar smoke wasn't entirely subtle.

The father of Jacqui walked over to Johnny and stood beside him, puffing on a cigar, savoring the flavor that has been denied to him for the past three years. He had spent most of the morning in meetings with Sonya, the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. Suffice to say, the combined numbers of Raiden's forces were a threat.

"Let me guess...Logan?" Johnny asked, regarding the cigars.

Jax nodded. "You have no idea how much I missed cigars."

"You do realize that you have bionic arms, not bionic lungs, right?"

Jax snorted. "Not like it's gonna kill me. I died once already, remember?"

"And my business is a smoke-free zone," Johnny added.

Jax took another puff. Johnny rolled his eyes.

"I went down to where Kano died," Jax continued. "Cassie showed me the memories of her and Sonya's fight. Some form of closure for me. Would it be a bad thing if I told you that I enjoyed watching Kano die the way he did?"

"After how he tormented my family and what he did to Vera...nope," the actor-turned-industrialist replied. "If Sonya didn't kill him, then Kitana would have gladly done the deed. She hates rapists and child predators." Johnny noticed that Jacqui was absent. "Where's Jacqui?"

"Getting the hang of her new arms." Jax looked down at the grounds. "I still don't get it." He gestured to the grounds. "I mean...all of this."

"Would you be surprised to know that I began as a stuntman while putting myself through college back in Earthrealm?" Johnny asked. "Or that I held a degree in Business Administration from UCLA?"

"So the 'tech-savvy business mogul' is just another act," Jax surmised.

"Yes...and no. Yes, this is an act, but at the same time, I wanted to do something different with my life. Not many folks had the chance that was given to me, Sonya and Cassie," admitted Johnny. "By the time I graduated college, I was making more in film than I would if I went corporate. So I chose the easy way out." He smiled sardonically. "Up until Mortal Kombat, I was concerned about filming 'Iron Claw.' Now..."

"Things changed," Jax said. He sighed. "Believe me, I know the feeling."

"You wanna know how I convinced Sonya to let me use S-F tech to build up Cage Inc.?" When Jax nodded, Johnny continued on. "Well, before we fled, I had my sister hack the S-F mainframe and download all of its data onto a modified laptop. Rebecca's in London with her family, overseeing our European interests."

"You knew that all of this was coming," Jax said. "Yeah, Sonya told me that too. She also said that you've been kicking yourself over not doing any more to save the rest of us." He sighed. "You made a judgment call; cut your losses and withdraw. I made several myself back when I was in command of S-F, and I know the feeling. Had the roles been reversed, I'd done the same thing."

"Still doesn't make it easier for me," the former actor admitted. "I've been second-guessing myself ever since Mortal Kombat. I was able to save Sonya from Shinnok when my powers kicked in. Had I known about them sooner, I could have stopped Sindel from killing you and the others."

"At least now there's more to you than being a fool," Jax said. Off Johnny's glare, Jax continued. "Before the conference, Sonya told me everything that's happened between the both of you."

"Of course she told you," Johnny snorted.

"She also told me the real reason why you split the first time," Jax said.

"You mean with her being obsessed with saving the world at the cost of her relationship with Cassie and me?"

"Up to the point that she divorced you, so yeah." Jax shook his head. "I chewed Sonya out about that later on after the conference was over...when she told me the reason why. All this time, I thought that you divorced her."

"I can almost imagine the mighty Sonya Blade cringing in fear of being chewed out by you," Johnny said. "I tried to make it work the first time around. But I was forced into a corner. So I gave her what she wanted. Up until Shinnok's Amulet, she saw me as a crutch."

"Yeah, she said that too," admitted Jax. "She was miserable afterward, and tried to bury it under her work."

Johnny nodded. "Took being kidnapped and tortured by Shinnok to finally make her come around. Cassie knew. She knew that despite trying to save the world, Sonya still needed me." He smiled. "Sonya ended up a lot like me after the first time we split; more somber, but still a hard-ass. Since this realm already has its fair share of superpowered heroes saving the world, it made our second marriage a whole lot easier."

"Y'all did have your own share of bumps along the way."

"As with all marriages," conceded Johnny. "But it's as I told Sonya the day we went down to get the marriage certificate: 'As long as you're trying, then I'm staying.' She tried, and I stayed. Our second go-round had plenty of bumps, sure, but we made it work even better the first time around. Well, not counting the House of M, the Decimation, Hulk's rampage through New York and Osborn kidnapping the girls...honestly, I don't know how Sonya and I survived House of M..."

Johnny shuddered at the memories. One night, he went to bed as the head of Cage Incorporated. The next morning, he woke up and found out that humans were in the minority while the mutants under the House of Magnus were in control of the world. For Cassie, she wasn't a military officer, but rather an actress. He managed to get away with being called a mutant due to his inborn powers. Sonya, not to much, as she worked with the company as his public relations manager. Ravenna was still the heiress to the company, overseeing the European interests, so that was no big loss.

Liu and Kitana still worked as assassins, wanted by the Magnus regime. Johnny and Sonya had given them both sanctuary within the company.

When the Decimation came, Cassie and Ravenna both lucked out and kept their powers, along with 198 other mutants. Liu and Kitana found themselves running the Red Lotus Society once again. Just as they had done when Nitro had killed Red Lotus members, Liu and Kitana had personally dealt with a senior member of the organization - a mutant - who had been murdered by the Purifiers. Liu, Kitana and Jade had wiped out the Purifiers down to the last man, including its leader, William Stryker. The Sentinel Nimrod was also destroyed, turned into scrap.

The timing could not have been more better. He had a series of assassinations planned on several mutants, including Laurie Collins. Cassie and Ravenna Cage were also the targets of Stryker, but Liu and Kitana had stopped Stryker cold. By killing William Stryker, not only was Laurie Collins' life was saved, but that of 30 depowered mutants that had left the Xavier Institute.

"Can't say that things haven't been boring here," Jax noted.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "At least someone else is playing the hero. Sonya and I are the protectors now. Cassie and Ravenna are the warriors. I heard that you and Raven's been getting along quite well."

Jax smiled as he blew out a puff of smoke. "She's a good kid. You and Sonya obviously did good in raising her together."

"Another thing you ripped on my wife?"

"That she was supposed to help raise Cassie alongside you instead of trying to police Earthrealm 24/7? Yeah, I called Sonya out on that as well. Although despite everything I've seen with most of the dads back in Earthrealm, myself included, you were quite possibly, the most decent one out of all of us."

"A compliment, from you, of all people? I'm touched, Jax."

"Just statin' the facts," Jax grunted. "As much as you piss me and Sonya off...you were there for Cassie...and Jacqui during my time as a revenant."

Johnny was about to reply when something below caught his attention. A portal, blue in color, had just opened. The warning klaxons on the Helicarrier sounded moments after.

"Attention. Attention. Portal opening detected. Location: Cage Incorporated. Repeat: Portal opening detected at Cage Incorporated."

"Please tell me that's friendly," Jax said, eyeing the portal warily.

"Nah. Seen this type of portal several days ago. It's Red Lotus." Looking up, he saw Iron Man and Ms. Marvel flying in their direction. A sharp whistle caught the heroes' attention. "Hey! This the way to Toledo?" Johnny asked, ignoring Jax shaking his head.

"Need a lift?" Danvers asked.

"If it's not too much trouble," Johnny replied.

"Clench up, Briggs," Iron Man said as he grabbed the back of Jax's jacket. Ms. Marvel grabbed Johnny by the hands.

Once both men were on the ground, they saw that Sonya was leading the T.R.U. soldiers - armed with G36c assault rifles - having joined up with Jacqui and Kung Jin, the latter having recently returned from his meeting with Kung Lao. From the the main building, came Cassie Cage, Simon Williams and Takahashi Takeda, her father and honorary uncle soon following thereafter. Takeda was the last of the exiled kombatants to join alongside Frost, the former having disembarked from the Quintjet, while the latter had been training with Logan when the alarm rang.

The Tactical Response Unit stood in front of the portal, assault rifles raised.

"Wait! Stop!" Mey rushed in front of the impromptu firing squad, arms stretched. "The grandmasters sent them! They're Red Lotus!"

Cassie looked at her parents, who both nodded. Cassie lowered her gun, but did not put it away. Takeda and Jacqui were on their guard. A silent signal from Sonya and her troops lowered their guns, but did not put them away.

Iron Man wasn't taking any chances. He still had his hands raised, the repulsors whining softly. Cap had his shield ready, both Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman had their respective energy blasts charged and ready to fly. Wolverine had his claws out. Jax stood at the ready, just in case. Frost had materialized a pair of ice kukri knives and held them in a reverse grip.

Nightwolf was the first to emerge from the portal. He had aged from the last time both Johnny and Sonya had saw him; a revenant wielding energy tomahawks that were just as corrupted as he was. Now, he looked older, more somber, as if he had been here on this realm just as long as they both have. Despite the short, graying hair, it was the fresh coat of warpaint that gave him away regarding his identity. In his hands, he was holding an alabaster urn.

He was followed by Stryker, Smoke and Kabal. Johnny, Jax and Sonya both saw that Smoke favored his old uniform back when he was a Lin Kuei (when he was in Outworld), save that the mask was off, his hair tied in a ponytail. He kept the stubble on his face and his hair was tied back. And there was a smoky, demonic-looking raven perched on his shoulder that made the others slightly uneasy.

Stryker looked the same, as if he didn't age a day, clad in the same riot cop uniform that he wore the day he died. The badge was gone, while the cap was turned backwards on his head. But what shocked Sonya, Johnny and Jax was Kabal. During Shao Kahn's invasion, he had a run-in with Kintaro that left him hideously disfigured, and being forced to rely on a respirator due to his lungs being damaged after he was burned alive. They only identified him not only to him wearing his old uniform from his Black Dragon days, but the hookswords that were slung behind his back and his mask was in one hand. Like Stryker, he had not aged.

Jax stepped forward, standing on Sonya's right as the four ex-revenants approached the couple and himself.

"Well..." Johnny began. "This is weird, yet ironic. Funny how things come full circle."

"Try it from our end," Stryker replied. He looked at the gathering of heroes behind the elder kombatants. "Um...you mind telling your friends to lay down the hardware? We come in peace."

Johnny and Sonya turned around. While Sonya's forces had stood down, the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Team S-F - bar Cassie - still had weapons drawn. "It's okay, Rogers," Sonya said. "Stand down."

After a brief moment, Cap secured his shield behind his back. He then relayed the order. "Avengers, stand down."

A glance from her father and Cassie did the same for Team S-F, despite her own mistrust of the ex-revenants. ' **Guys, be cool,** ' she mentally ordered. ' **Lower your weapons.** '

Reluctantly, Team S-F (Frost included) stood down.

A quick scan of the crowd, and Nightwolf saw in the midst of the crowd, Daredevil, flanked by Luke Cage and Wolverine. The Lakota shaman/ex-revenant walked over to the blind hero and stopped in front of him. "Matthew Murdock?"

Daredevil nodded.

"As per to the orders of the Emperor...I mean, Grandmasters," Nightwolf corrected, "the body of Elektra was recovered. Grandmaster Kahnum herself cleaned the body as best she could before having it cremated. These are her ashes. The Grandmasters felt that you should take them."

Securing his batons, Daredevil accepted the urn. "Thank you," he said.

Walking back to Johnny and Sonya, Nightwolf reached into his pocket and produced a $20 bill. "From Liu Kang," he said.

Smirking, Johnny took the $20, remembering the bet that he and the former Shaolin had made...only for Sonya to snatch it out of his hand. "You owe me," she said as she pocketed the bill.

Johnny didn't bother to argue with his wife, much to the amusement of the ex-revenants and some of the heroes present. Johnny turned to the gathering of soldiers and heroes. "Show's over. Back to work." He turned back to Nightwolf and the others. "Sorry for the reception. We've been a bit busy for the past couple of days."

"We know," Nightwolf replied. "Liu and Kitana have informed us of what has happened here, from Kano's attack to the mission in Earthrealm, and Raiden's immolation. Never a dull moment with you, Cage."

Normally, Nightwolf would address Raiden as Haokah in a form of respect. Now, that respect was gone. That did not go unnoticed by Johnny, Jax and Sonya.

Noticing the level of mistrust between her daughter and the ex-revenants (honestly, Sonya really couldn't blame Cassie for that), the general turned to Cassie. "Captain, you and your team leave for Latveria in ten minutes. Finish your preperations." To Captain America, she said, "Brief the three in question and have them meet in the main lobby."

Cap nodded and walked off.

Nightwolf cocked an eyebrow. "Throwing them back into the fire, General?"

"They have a mission," Sonya explained. "An escort mission, with her team and three of the Avengers accompanying her."

"Hmm..." Nightwolf paused for a moment. "General, I would like for both Vbrada and Stryker to accompany your daughter and her team." When Cassie began to object, Nightwolf cut her off. "I know you mistrust us, Cassandra, given what we had done in the past regarding your father. And honestly, I, nor the others, don't blame you. Had the roles been reversed, I'd be the same. But like it or not, we're all on the same side. While your escort team is indeed powerful, you could benefit from having a couple of veteran fighters accompany you."

"Funny thing is that I'm also a veteran," Cassie replied. She gestured to Sonya. "But the final decision lies with her."

Nightwolf turned to the Cage family matriarch. "General?"

"They can come," Sonya said after a brief moment. "Provided that they follow Captain Cage's orders." Looking at Cassie, she said, "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Cassie sighed. "Fine." She turned and walked off to prepare for the mission. Team S-F also dispersed, walking off to prepare.

"She doesn't trust us," Kabal mused as the heroes dispersed.

"Can you blame her? It took me a while to trust you after you told me that you were a criminal," Stryker noted. To Johnny, he asked, "Is there a place where we can talk?"

"The command center," Sonya explained.

With the impending war with Earthrealm, Sonya had commandeered one of Cage Incoporated's conference rooms as an impromptu command center. When she was not seen with Johnny, Sonya was there most of the time, issuing orders and running the T.R.U. from there.

Johnny turned to face the group of heroes and soldiers. "Okay, folks. Back to work."

"I still don't believe this," Kabal muttered as the Cage patriarch and his wife led them to the command center.

"No argument here," Smoke replied.

* * *

With Cassie, Jacqui and Frost...

Her gear reminded her of her boot camp days, Jacqui realized, only the coloring was different. The tanktop was grey, while the fatigues were solid black, as were the kneepads and boots. The body armor reminded the bionic-armed woman of her old set back in Earthrealm.

"The material's made out of an adamantium-based alloy," Cassie had explained when she delivered the fresh set of Jacqui's gear. "Same material that Mom uses for her gauntlets. S-F uses the alloy as part of their body armor, as it can stop an armor-piercing round, a knife attack and even an energy blast. It's pretty much indestructable."

Deiding to forego the army jacket, Jacqui had opted to don the body armor instead. It was indeed light, much lighter than her old armor. The armor also came with standard-issued Hatch Reactor fingerless gloves, of which Jacqui also donned.

Frost was securing the blue overmantle over her body. Cassie was leaning up against the wall, arms folded, eyes closed, brooding. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see what was the reason behind Cassie's foul mood.

"You know, if you keep your face like that, you'll end up like your mother," Frost noted. Ignoring the stink eye from Cassie, she continued, "You don't trust the Red Lotus."

"My trust in them is in a certain extent," Cassie replied. "While Liu and Kitana have been here as long as me and my parents, it's the other ex-revenants that concern me."

"Yet, you trust me and the others," Jacqui pointed out.

"Because I've known you all my life," Cassie pointed out. "We came up together in the military. Hell, I trust Uncle Jax despite being a revenant. Takeda and Jin...when Dad formed our unit, Takeda mistrusted us because of the Blood Code and Jin thought we would ridicule him for being gay, but..." She sighed in frustration. "Sometimes, I just wish that the X-Men and the Avengers would just fight over me and Ravenna."

"And what about me?" Frost asked.

"You wasn't a revenant. Plus, I looked into your mind."

"Cass..." Jacqui chose her words carefully. "You're thinking about this too hard. Do you really want to be like Aunt Sonya back when she was in charge of S-F?"

Cassie frowned, yet she didn't answer.

"As much as I hate to say this, but you should give the ex-revenants a chance," Jacqui said. "You took a chance on me and the others when you freed us. Now you gotta to do the same for them."

Cassie groaned. She knew that Jacqui was right. And from what she had learned from Jax, they had been given a raw deal when Sindel had killed them.

"It always boils down to redemption, doesn't it?" Cassie mused. "Dad gave Mom a second chance...hell, I gave Mom a second chance. My parents and I vouched for you and the others after you told us the truth. I still don't trust them, Jacqui."

"Then let them prove their worth," Frost suggested. "At least when they screw up, you won't feel as bad when you fry them."

Cassie sighed. "Dad always said that you can't fake a comeback. Fine. I'll give them a shot. This doesn't mean that they get a clean slate. If they want me to trust them, then they'll have to seriously impress me." She straightened up. "Come on. Let's go."

* * *

At the same time, with the elder Kombatants...

Following the Skirmish at Cage Incorporated, Sonya had moved her command onto the grounds of Cage Incorporated, and had comandeered a conference room on the second floor as her command center. To Johnny, it reminded him of the old command center back at the refugee camp back in Earthrealm...only more sophisticated.

"When Liu Kang and Kitana told us that you decided to become an industrialist rather than return to acting, I honestly was shocked," Nightwolf said once the room was cleared of Sonya's subordinates.

"As we the rest of us," Kabal seconded. "Then again, we really wasn't all that surprised to hear that both you and Cassie returned to the military."

"Johnny wanted a change," Sonya admitted. "I wanted to see how life was on the other side by enlisting and working my way up the ranks." She smiled sardonically. "Back In Earthrealm, I earned a scholarship to the Naval Academy, while Cassie enlisted. Here, we unintentionally did the opposite; Cassie earned the scholarship to West Point, while I enlisted."

"A lot has changed in the years," Nightwolf said. "Including us." He looked at Sonya and Jax. "What can you tell us about the corruption?"

"The brainwashing is a lot similar as to what Quan Chi uses for his revenant spell," Jax explained. "I know the feeling anywhere. It manipulates your emotions...plays with them. But the power..."

"...it's intoxicating," Sonya finished, with Jax nodding. "The corruption was easier on Jax because of his time as a revenant. And it was easier on me and Jacqui due to the Blood Code." She turned to Johnny, who had a look of support on his face. "Johnny saw it coming. He was warned about Raiden's becoming corrupted after purifying the Jinsei. I didn't listen."

"You two seem to be getting along much better now." When Johnny and Sonya gave Stryker confused looks, the former cop explained. "In the Netherrealm, there's not much in entertainment aside from torture and killing. We were surprised to find out that somehow, you and Johnny got married. We also had a laugh when the both of you divorced."

"Why I'm not surprised..." Sonya muttered.

"But what surprised all of us was the fact that Cassie took down Shinnok after absorbing the Jinsei," Nightwolf noted. "Liu Kang and Kitana both said that it was quite the fight."

Johnny and Sonya grinned. While Sonya wished that she was there, Johnny had a front-row seat of his eldest daughter beating Shinnok's face in. Granted that he was imprisoned in resin and had been tortured by D'Vorah beforehand, but still his crowning achievement back in Earthrealm.

"This wasn't the first time that Raiden had fallen to the darkness."

Now, everyone's attention was directed to Nightwolf.

"Being Raiden's right-hand man for many years before my sacrifice meant that I was also his confidant," the shaman continued. "When Cassandra's team raided the Sky Temple to stop Shinnok, it wasn't his second attempt. It was his third." He turned to Johnny. "You know of Shinnok's story, of how he was an Elder God before his betrayal?"

Johnny nodded. "Homework that Raiden forced me to study when he made me his champion after Liu. Back then, the Elder Gods were too chickenshit in trying to stop Shinnok, so they sent Raiden and Fujin after him. Their battle nearly destroyed Earthrealm, but Raiden and Fujin emerged victorious. The battle had corrupted Raiden, and it took Fujin to purify his essence by using a combination of the Jinsei and magic."

"Guess that explains why Fujin was Raiden's first target," Jax said, rubbing his chin. "Not because he helped Cassie escape, but that he could stop him."

"But when Raiden purified the Jinsei, he absorbed not only Shinnok's corruption, but also his power," Nightwolf continued. "We realized this only after he delivered Shinnok's head to the Netherrealm."

"You believe that he can be saved?" Sonya asked.

Nightwolf shook his head. "No. Raiden has passed the point of no return. Even when I was a revenant, I still had some shred of respect towards him. Now...with his crimes brought to light...the god I once knew is gone. He must be destroyed."

"Raiden reminds me of a line from one of my films," Johnny said. "'You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.' With all the shit he's caused, that line has a whole new meaning." Turning to Nightwolf, he asked, "Do you know about the First Run? About how Raiden screwed with the chain of events in order to stop Armageddon?"

Nightwolf nodded. "Shinnok told me. Raiden must have told you, right?"

"Told both me and Sonya."

"Do you have a plan in stopping him?" Kabal asked.

Meanwhile, Johnny's phone began to vibrate. He plucked it out of his pocket and activated it. It was a message from Cassie. **We're ready, Dad. Meet us in the lobby.**

"We need Fujin, for starters," Sonya said. "Then we need to free Hanzo and Kuai. But it won't be easy."

"Nothing never is," Kabal said.

Johnny tapped Sonya on the shoulder. "Babe..." He showed her the text. "It's time."

Sonya nodded. "Let's go. Cassie and her team are ready."

The couple led Jax and the ex-revenants out of the conference room. Down the hallway, passing the Cage Incorporated employees that reported in and the patrolling T.R.U. soldiers.

"So what is this mission that Cassie is being sent on?" Stryker asked.

"Escort mission," Sonya replied. "Cassie is heading to Latveria to speak with Doctor Doom."

Stryker chortled. "Doctor Doom? His name practically screams 'bad guy.'"

"Oh, he is," Johnny confirmed. "You'll like him, Stryker. He's an spiring conqueror with diplomatic immunity and a serious beef with Reed Richards."

"Despite this, Doom is honorable to the point that he keeps his word," Sonya continued. "Cassie saved the life of his ambassador a while back, and Doom promised her a favor that she can cash in at any time."

"A villain who keeps his word," Nightwolf noted in a dry tone. "How original."

"Doom's as tough as they come," Sonya continued. "He's a master of the mystic arts, and can hold his own in hand-to-hand combat. Having him on our side may prove to be an advantage."

"Plus, the thought of Raiden actually trying to take over the planet before he can will be a huge insult to him," Johnny added as he and the others arrived on the ground floor landing. "That alone will hurt his ego more than anything."

* * *

With Cassie and the others...

Takeda and Kung Jin were not intimidated. They survived Shinnok, and after that, three hellish years under Raiden's control as they witnessed the downfall of Earthrealm.

But seeing a six-foot-seven green-skinned giantess built like a dump truck somewhat unnerved the both of them. Queen Sheeva of the Shokan was taller than her, standing at seven-feet-even, but had the Shokan Queen still been alive, both the Shaolin and the Shirai Ryu chujin would have guessed that even Sheeva would have lost if both her and the emerald beauty fought one-on-one.

Both Jin and Takeda knew Iron Fist well enough, more or less. Ms. Marvel? Not so much. All they were able to get was that there was a rivalry between her and Sonya in the past, but they just recently ended the rivalry between them, united against a single threat.

Cassie, in the meantime, was talking to Cap, while Simon stood by. Jacqui and Frost stood alongside Takeda and Jin, waiting for the mission to take place.

"Did you brief them on the mission?" Cassie asked.

Cap smirked. "I figured that honor would be left to you, Captain."

Shaking her head, Cassie turned to the three superheroes. Deciding not to beat around the bush, Cassie began the briefing. "As per the request of Captain America, you three are going to accompany my team and myself to Doomstadt."

"Wait..." Danvers raised a hand. "Did I hear you right? We're going to Latveria? To pay a visit to Doctor Doom?"

Cassie nodded. "That's right."

"And you're just gonna waltz into Doomstadt and hope that he doesn't have you thrown in prison for trespassing?" She-Hulk pitched in.

"Actually...yes," Cassie replied, enjoying the looks of shock on the womens' faces. "Doom may be many things, but what most people don't know is that he is a man of his word. Mr. Fantastic can attest to that, given Doom's vow of protection regarding Valeria. He owes me a favor, and I intend to collect."

"How you manage to pull that off?" Rand inquired as Johnny and Sonya led Jax and the recently-revived kombatants to the group. Both Kung Jin and She-Hulk had given Kabal a look over. Stryker noticed it as well. Kabal had been a pretty boy, even back in his Black Dragon days. That changed with Kabal's run-in with Kintaro.

"I saved the life of his ambassador," Cassie replied. "Doom himself promised me a favor, which I can cash in at any time." She then introduced Smoke and Stryker. "The ninja is Enenra. The supercop is Kurtis Stryker. As you know, they are with the Red Lotus, and will be joining us on this mission."

"Smoke," the Czech-born ninja corrected. "The name's Smoke." He pointed to the demonic raven on his shoulder, who cawed. "That's Enenra. And for the record, Captain, I'm not a ninja. I am Lin Kuei." He pointed to Takeda. "Takeda is the ninja."

That remark made Frost crack a grin.

"Stryker, Smoke, you know my team," Cassie continued. She then introduced the three heroes. "This is Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Iron Fist."

"I've heard about you from Liu Kang," Nightwolf said. "He speaks highly of you."

"This is a bad idea," She-Hulk said, changing the subject. "Going into Latveria."

"Noted," Cassie replied. "Director Hill said the same thing." She tied her hair back in a bun. "If you don't want to go, you can back out now."

None of the heroes said nothing. Cap nodded in approval. Cassie had chosen well for this task.

Sonya stepped forward. "Captain...Cassandra...be careful." She turned to the others. "All of you. Good hunting."

Cassie nodded. "Thanks, Mom." She raised her left hand, and concentrated.

A portal flashed into existence. Cassie sighed. "Out of the frying pan, and back into the fire," she whispered as she walked into the portal, followed by her boyfriend, the ex-revenants, Team-S-F and the three Avengers.

"May the gods watch over you, Cassandra Cage," Nightwolf intoned in a whisper. "May they watch over you, my friends and your team."

Johnny, Sonya and Jax said nothing, but silently agreed with the shaman's prayer.


	37. Side Story 4: Secret Invasion

**Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe Side Story**

 **Part One: Secret Invasion**

Snafu's Notes: I haven't been focusing more on Liu and Kitana for most of this story. Hopefully, that will change, since I'm at the halfway point of this fanfic. Originally, Liu and Kitana wasn't supposed to show up until later on in the story, but that was a last-minute change from the original plot.

Also, I'm going to show off Cassie's new X-Ray, of which I'll incorporate into her XL Banter chapter once I rewrite it.

A hidden room, inside Red Lotus Compound - Chinese-Vietnamese Border, following the ratification of the Superhuman Registration Act (seventeen days before the Mighty Avengers' raid in Union Vale)...

If anything this realm was not lacking, it was amusement. Due to their own past back in Earthrealm, the Cage family was laying low, as if not to draw any unwanted attention to themselves, and were doing a good job of not attracting the wrong crowd. Well, most of time, anyway.

The three ex-revenants-turned-grandmasters understood the Cage family's need to stay low. In a way, due to their own pasts back in Earthrealm and Outworld, they were connected. If someone started sniffing around, then ultimately, it would lead back to them.

Well...that was not entirely true. Johnny Cage was in the limelight, but not as an actor, but the head of Cage Incorporated, with Ravenna as his successor, while Sonya and Cassie preferred the private military life.

But with the implementation of the Superhuman Registration Act, even Jade, Liu Kang and Kitana knew that the former actor and his family had to be careful. Only Luke Cage and Daniel Rand knew the truth about their origins, as Kitana had overheard Johnny's promise to the two superheroes, and knowing Johnny, had swore them to secrecy.

Being away from the realms, Raiden and Mortal Kombat had changed them all, in a way.

But for Kitana, as she stood before the bound...thing in front of her, hovering helplessly in the air by her enchantments, and bound also in the same manner, she was about to show why she was quite the 'interrogator' within the Red Lotus.

Growing up as Shao Kahn's stepdaughter and chief enforcer, she was not only taught the ways of assassination, but also the ways of torture. Her time in the Netherrealm had honed the latter to nightmarish levels, having been mentored by Drahmin, Quan Chi's chief torturer. Looking back on that, Kitana actually felt bad for the Oni, having been executed by Quan Chi for having failed to recapture Hanzo Hasashi following the Blood Code fiasco.

The...thing was humanoid in appearance, with green skin, pointed ears, and a ruffled chin. What infuriated Kitana was that the form it had taken was that of Ko, one of the thirty children that she, Liu and Jade had rescued so many years ago. Ko had worked his way up the ranks within the Red Lotus, having married a fellow member of the organization.

Kitana liked Ko, as he made her laugh.

"He loves me...he loves me...he loves me..." the false Ko chanted, and has been for the past two hours since its capture by the grandmasters.

A table was placed nearby. Resting on it were the tools of a master torturer; blades of various sizes, a small two-pound hammer, and a length of sharp metal.

What infuriated Kitana was that the real Ko's body had been found by Jade and Ko's widow...just as Kitana and Liu were speaking to the doppelganger over a minor issue. When the ruse was discovered, the false Ko attempted to escape.

It did not end well, which led to the startling revelation before the Red Lotus.

"How's Ling?" Kitana asked as Liu entered the 'interrogation room.'

"Sedated. Jade's with her," Liu replied. He looked at the false Ko. "Has he said anything?"

"Other than 'He loves me' over and over again, nothing," Kitana replied. "I was about to get started."

Liu nodded and stepped back. Like Kitana, Liu had been trained in the art of torture during his time in the Netherrealm, only he prefer to break bones and burn various body parts.

Kitana walked over to the table. She picked up a sharp blade, one that she would use for her bladed fans. "Now then...the man whom you killed...he was like a son to me. I helped raised him from a scared little boy to a man. Because of your actions, the Red Lotus lost a valuable member, Ling lost a husband, and their child will never know their father."

"I...I'm sorry," False Ko whimpered. "I didn't mean for this to happen. He was going to compromise my mission...my purpose..."

The false Ko screamed as Kitana stabbed him in the leg, striking a nerve that caused even more pain. Blood the color of Jade's eyes pumped out of the injury.

"Answer our questions, and you will get through this with little damage," Kitana threatened. "Resist...and the more painful it will be for you."

"What mission? What purpose?" Liu demanded.

"The planet...it's ours. All of it." False Ko whimpered.

Liu and Kitana shared a concerned glance. Kitana turned back to the false Ko. "Earth is being invaded?"

"It...has been prophesied. Veranke...forgive me...I was not strong enough..." False Ko sobbed. "I pray...I pray that the infidels will be shown His love before being given the kiss of obliteration."

"Who is Veranke?" both Liu and Kitana demanded.

"She is our Queen, the Skrull Queen, blessed by the Eternals with the gift of prophecy." His sobs stopped as he glared at the two grandmasters with a growing sense of defiance. "Earth is ours by right after the Devourer consumed our home world."

"How do we tell the difference between us and...your kind?" Kitana pressed on.

"He loves you...he loves you..."

Again, Liu and Kitana shared a glance.

"Oh, trust me when I say that my wife and I are old hands when it comes to invasions," Liu said, turning back to the false Ko. "We're not the only ones targeted, right?"

False Ko laughed bitterly. "No. We have already invaded and infiltrated the planet. It's only a matter of time before it falls. I just wish that I am alive when Blessed Veranke kills you and destroys your clan!"

In a flash, Kitana's booted foot bounced off of the false Ko's jaw, knocking him out cold. "This is disturbing news," she said.

"Had the situation not been so dire, then I would be laughing at the thought of the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. being infiltrate," the former Shaolin replied. "'He loves you...' Can it be some kind of greeting?"

"Could be." Kitana pursed her lips. "When Shao Kahn was in control of Outworld, one must greet the other with the proper greeting of 'Hail, Emperor Kahnum,' to which the greeting would be replied in the same fashion, otherwise the person who did not respond with the proper greeting would be tortured and executed."

"Hmm...maybe...'He loves you' is something more than that. Perhaps it's a way for the Skrulls to identify one another," Liu suggested.

Kitana smirked. "I knew there was a reason why I married you, Liu."

Liu returned the smirk. "And it took you this long to figure that out in all the years we've known each other? I'm hurt."

Kitana's expression then fell. "What about the Cage family?"

"If I know that annoying buffoon and his wife, then it's a possibility that they already know. They've survived quite a lot not to be done in by shapeshifting aliens. On top of that both Cassandra Cage and her sister are both mutant telepaths, which means she can pretty much figure out if their parents are in fact the genuine article."

"So what's our next move?" Kitana asked.

"We notify the others of this development, and to keep their eyes open for anything suspicious, especially our agents in America. Mey has the Cage family covered, and will let us know of anything. We'll both return and have another...'chat with our friend here."

Kitana 'hmmed.' "Goes to show that even now, that 'annoying buffoon' can still surprise us. Any sane person would have released Mey and had her arrested. Part of me thinks that Johnny Cage is insane for keeping her on despite knowing that she's one of us."

"Sometimes, being unpredictable can prove to be an advantage," Liu reminded her as they exited the torture chamber. "Both he and Cassandra did defeat Shinnok, not to mention that Cassandra bested you back in Earthrealm."

That much was true. The rematch between the Edenian-born princess and the elder daughter of Johnny and Sonya ended with Kitana defeating Cassie in a clean match. Cassie could had used her mutant powers, but chose to fight fair. As a result, Kitana had grown to respect Cassie even more.

"Johnny and his wife knows that he's not a threat to us," Liu continued. "He and Sonya both honored the agreement we have made. After all, there are those who are more dangerous than the both of them who are the heroes. We need to be even more careful as to not give Stark and his band of sellouts a reason to come after us."

Kitana nodded. "I'll relay the order."

* * *

Meanwhile, at The Cove – San Francisco

To Cassandra Carlton Cage, her birthday was nothing special. To her, it was just another day. Of course, that didn't stop her from taking her birthday off, as she never worked on her birthday. Then again, her mother was the same way when it came to her birthday. Of course that didn't stop her father from treating her mother to a birthday dinner and vice versa.

To those who knew her outside of the family, she had just turned twenty-four. In truth, she was thirty-nine. Only her parents, Ravenna and the Red Lotus knew the truth, Liu Kang, Kitana and Jade sending the elder of the Cage daughters well wishes through Mey, Johnny's secretary/Red Lotus plant.

While she had her own place at Fort Charles (not to mention her San Francisco hideaway), Cassie enjoyed coming back home. The Union Vale home which Johnny had bought for Sonya was a close second, which put her within driving distance to the Xavier Institute. Whenever she was in New York, she would visit Xavier and catch up on old times.

But now, both Summers and Frost ran the Institute. Xavier had been forced out of the leadership position by Summers himself. That, to Cassie, had been a dick move. For Cassie, she wondered whether or not that Emma Frost had been an influence in that decision.

At least Scott was smart enough not to take any sides in the Civil War debacle, opting to remain neutral in the whole mess. Probably the only smart thing he did since hooking up with Emma Frost.

Cassie could had hooked up with Scott following Jean's death. Hell, she could have stolen him from Jean. But she didn't want to be seen as a homewrecker. She already had enough issues as is.

But as Cassie sat on the outdoor patio in her family home, legs crossed, eyes closed, she sensed that something was...off. It wasn't from the three Red Lotus grandmasters, who were in the city meeting with their Red Lotus operatives whose fronts included several businesses in Chinatown.

Speaking of Liu, Cassie honestly wished that she would have been there when he and Iron Fist mixed it up. She herself had fought the younger man, and won only because of her experience in kombat. The fact that she didn't use her mutant powers during the match also helped. Cassie couldn't do that to Danny. Despite her pragmatism, she was honorable in some cases.

Against the bad guys? Honor must give way to good old-fashioned pragmatism. It was a lesson that her father had drilled into her head.

"Party's inside, you know."

Cassie didn't move. She sensed her mother's presence for a while. "Needed some time alone, if only for a few minutes."

Sonya sat down beside her. "Something on your mind, Cass?"

"Something's in the air," Cassie mused. "It's not from our old life. It's...something else. I got a seriously bad vibe."

Sonya nodded. While Johnny taught her to be more pragmatic, Sonya had taught both daughters to always go with their gut feeling. With her mutant powers, Cassie was more attuned to it than her parents.

"If you're worried about the Act, you're covered under the military registry," Sonya said. "Your sister, your dad and yourself." She then tapped the tattoo that was peeking out of Cassie's tanktop. "And no one will ever find out about the Phoenix. Your dad and I made sure of that."

"It's not that."

"So what is it? Is it that you're one year away from turning forty?"

"Not even that. There's something...off. I can feel it."

"Well, maybe I can help you ease your mind, if for the moment," the Cage family matriarch said. "Consider this a present from me. I wasn't supposed to say anything about it, but your promotion came through."

Cassie looked at her mother, eyes wide. "What?"

Sonya smiled. "Told you you can't keep nothing from me regarding your career. You made First Lieutenant faster than I had done, both in Earthrealm and here. Keep it up and you'll make Captain before you hit thirty."

Cassie snorted. "You mean when I turn forty-nine."

Sonya chuckled. "I was fifty-six when I got my second commission, so don't feel too bad. Of course, it won't be made official for another two weeks. So don't tell your dad or sister, okay?"

Cassie nodded. "Okay."

Sonya hugged her daughter. "I just want to be the first to say congratulations, Cass. I'm so proud of you."

Cassie hugged her mother back. "Thanks, Mom."

"Talking about me?" Johnny's voice heralded his arrival. Ravenna remained inside, on the phone, chatting with Hope about their upcoming trip to Alaska. "Party's inside, y'know."

"Uh, yeah," Cassie replied sarcastically. "Mom and I were going on about your less-than-desirable traits."

"Ha-ha. Funny," her father said, while Sonya chuckled. "I've heard it all before from her. Still thinking about coming with me to New York?"

"Of course," Cassie replied. "I plan on visiting the Institute and spend some time in Union Vale. Might as well enjoy my birthday vacation rather than spend it either here or on-base."

"Well, not to sound rude, you ain't staying here. Neither you nor Ravenna, as your mom and I have plans," Johnny said, smirking.

Cassie made a face. "Eww, Dad. Seriously."

Johnny ignored his daughter as she mocked-gagged. Turning to Sonya, he said, "Babe, get rid of the girls in an hour. I got some plans for the both of us which include champagne on ice and a bear-skin rug."

"Too much information," Cassie said as she stood up and walked back into the house.

Sonya glared at her husband, yet her tone was that of amusement. "You are such an ass."

Johnny grinned. "And after all these years, you still love it."

Sonya got back to her feet. "Sometimes, I just want to punch in your perfect teeth."

"What's stopping you?" her husband challenged.

Eyes flashing, Sonya fired off a punch. The smirk never left Johnny's face as he caught her fist and pulled her close, her body flush against his. She tried to punch him again, but he caught her other hand and had them pinned.

Back in Earthrealm, had this happened following their divorce, Sonya would had either headbutted him or knee him in the junk. But even after all these years, her husband was just so damn charming.

"So...champagne and the bear-skin rug?" Sonya breathed. She could escape if she wanted to, but she enjoyed the closeness, the smell of soap and spice from her husband.

"Champagne and the bear-skin rug," her husband confirmed.

"I can get rid of them in thirty minutes," Sonya said. "After that, your ass is mine."

Johnny grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

* * *

One Week later...

First Lieutenant Cassandra Cage. It had a nice ring to it.

True to her word, Cassie remained silent on the matter. Then, little over a week later, whilst at the firing range, she was summoned to her mother's office. Waiting for her, were her parents and Ravenna.

The ceremony was a private one, in which Cassie was given her official promotion. Mey had snapped the photos of the Cage family, Cassie and her parents having no doubt that Mey was reporting this to Liu and Kitana.

Honestly, she thought that her father was out of his mind in keeping Mey on as his secretary after correctly deducing that she was a Red Lotus plant. "At least Mey isn't with S.H.I.E.L.D., H.Y.D.R.A., or A.I.M.," Johnny had said. "Plus, if I dismiss her, then it wouldn't take long before Stark tries something stupid by sending in a spy of his own. If that happens, then the game is up."

As crazy as it had sounded, Cassie knew that her father was right. Better the devil you know, it seems. And Mey was very competent at her job, and Johnny paid her well.

As it was late-night, the streets of Fort Charles was deserted. Which was a perfect time for Cassie for a late-night jog throughout the base. While Johnny was the early bird of the family, Sonya was the proverbial night owl, of which Cassie had taken after her.

Her favorite music pumping into her ears, dressed in a tanktop, a pair of track pants, and her favorite pair of running shoes, hair tied back in a bun, her secondary sidearm – an S-F issued Glock – in a hip holster, Cassie made her rounds, exchanging greetings with the occasional serviceman and officer out on patrol or on their way in for their overnight shift.

She enjoyed the solitude. Ravenna was with Hope Summers and Magik, accompanying the redhead to what remained of her old home in order to see if there were any survivors, while her parents were back at the Cove.

But the bad vibe had not left her. Not even the promotion made her feel at ease. Some had accused Sonya of nepotism, but Cassie's track record spoke for itself. Nothing was given to her, and as she was Colonel Blade's daughter, she had to work twice as hard.

Despite her easygoing demeanor, Cassandra Cage was not afraid of hard work. She enjoyed the challenge. It was a trait that she had picked up from both her parents. It was also one of the main reasons why Ravenna looked up to her.

"Mind if I join you?" Sonya asked, jogging up alongside Cassie.

Cassie blinked. "I thought you were with Dad," she said.

Sonya shrugged her shoulders. "He got called into the office. I didn't felt like staying at home, so I decided to get a jog in before doing another all-nighter."

Cassie nodded and the two women jogged in pleasant silence. Cassie, however, was a different story. The bad vibe that she had felt for the past couple of weeks...well, now it was back in full force, and it was radiating off of Sonya.

That was Red Flag Number One.

Second, Cassie had a bad habit of poking around in her mother's mind. So much so that she had to get mental blocks put in place. First by Professor Xavier, and later, Julia Carpenter – the second Madame Web – as did her father. Cassie only poked around to see if the mental blocks were still there. But when she did it here, she found no mental blocks. All she found was...herself being watched from a distance, for the past several weeks, to be precise. After that, nothing.

That, and Sonya's eyes were blue, rather than the lavender she had grown accustomed to over the years.

Red Flag Number Two.

Cassie stretched out her mind further, until she heard her parents chatting over dinner. Her father was not at the office, but rather Sonya's office, having brought over some barbecue.

Red Flag Number Three.

But Cassie had to make sure. Which is why she led the false Sonya to a more deserted section of the base, while at the same time, firing off a mental message to her parents. ' **Mom. Dad. We got a situation here.** '

' **What is it?** ' Sonya asked, concerned.

' **There's a clone of you jogging beside me on the base!** ' Cassie replied, before showing her parents a mental picture of the false Sonya. ' **I'm leading her to the old hangar!** '

' **Oh, son-of-a-bitch...** ' Sonya cursed.

' **We're on the way!** ' her father said.

Thankfully, the false Sonya didn't catch on that she had been made. Not even when Cassie had led her to a series of deserted hangars, far from the eyes of the military personnel. Last thing she needed was innocents getting involved, and erasing what they had seen and implanting false memories inside their minds were a pain.

Once they were at their destination, Cassie stopped.

"Something wrong?" the false Sonya inquired.

"Nothing, Mom. Need to catch my breath," Cassie replied. She then added, "By the way, thanks for the Desert Eagles for my birthday. I really appreciate it."

The false Sonya smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Cassie."

Cassie smirked...then she promptly Shadow Kick-ed the false Sonya, catching her square in the chest, and knocking her back.

"For the record, I bought my Desert Eagles when I graduated from West Point," Cassie corrected as she lowered her leg. "Feel fortunate that I don't have those on me at the moment."

The false Sonya rose to her feet. "So you figured out that I'm not Sonya...impressive, Cassandra."

"Who the hell are you?" Cassie demanded.

'Sonya' smirked. Then, she...changed.

Cassie had heard the stories about Shang Tsung. About how he morphed into other people after absorbing their souls. She even saw Mystique shift into her one time in an attempt to infiltrate Fort Charles. Both her and her mother were not amused when they found out.

But this wasn't Mystique. And Shang Tsung was six feet under. Yet, seeing this...whoever it was morph from her mother was freaky. And it made Cassie pissed off.

The reason being that whoever it was had adapted her appearance.

"Don't make this into a situation, Cassandra," 'Cassie' said. "You're just a human girl. You can't win."

In a flash, the real Cassie went for her gun...

...and somersaulted out of the way, swearing as she avoided the crimson optic blast from her eyes. The blast scorched the sidewalk, and took out a chunk of grass.

'Cyclops' optic blasts?!' Cassie's mind screamed. 'What the hell?!'

Only problem was that whoever this was was not Cyclops.

"I did try and warn you," the false Cassie said.

(Cue Super-Skrull's Theme)

Cassie raised her gun, but a quick optic blast knocked it out of her hand. A burst of fire reduced it to slag.

"Do you know how much time I've spent studying you, Cassandra?" her doppelganger inquired, her red eyes going back to normal. "I've spent so much time watching your every move. I take no pleasure in doing this, but it must be done. You've no chance of winning. For your sake, just let what needs to happen...just happen."

Cassie responded by punting a pebble at her clone, who dodged, but gave her enough time to close the distance with a second Shadow Kick, knocking the imposter on her ass. When Cassie moved in and attempted to stomp on her torso, the doppelganger rolled out of the way, and swept Cassie off her feet.

Cassie performed a suicide kip-up, but the optic blast that followed had knocked her into a tree, stunning her.

"This isn't a fight that you can win, Cassandra," her doppelganger said.

"Yeah, I've heard it all before," Cassie groaned. "What do you want with me?"

"I've studied you, Cassandra," the false Cassie said. "I've watched you for a long time. In a way, I admire you. It's nothing personal. Just surrender, and let it be done."

She was most surprised when laughter erupted from Cassie's mouth.

"You...studied me?" Cassie guffawed. "You should have studied harder. Otherwise, you'd know I can do this."

The fake Cassie felt found herself being lifted into the air. Much to her shock, she saw the real Cassie's eyes go from blue to red, the whites going black.

" **You've planned for every scenario,** " Cassie sneered. " **You just didn't expect me to be a mutant.** "

With bone-breaking force, Cassie slammed her clone into the ground. Once, twice, three times, the final time leaving an impact crater on the ground.

Eyes glowing in fury, Cassie stalked towards her doppelganger. " **I've lived for far too long to go out like a punk,** " she hissed, the false Cassie scrambling backwards as a hazy crimson aura rose from her shoulders. " **I've fought madmen, mercenaries, undead thugs, and even a fallen Elder God. You will be no different.** "

The false Cassie's eyes glowed red. "No."

Having trained with Scott Summers in the past, Cassie knew what kind of damage that the optic blasts can do. Just as the fake Cassie unleashed the strongest blast from her eyes, the psionic shield came up moments after.

'Cassie' put more power into the blast. But the real Cassie kept on coming.

In desperation, 'Cassie' ended the blast, and teleported.

Cassie immediately dropped the shield. 'Cyclops' eye beams...and Nightcrawler's teleport tricks. Oh, I got your number you bitch.'

'Cassie' reappeared overhead, leg outstretched, aimed at the back of her opponent's head. Cassie broke into a split, causing her to miss. When 'Cassie' spun around, the real Cassie had tackled her, having ran at her full-tilt, smashing through the door and into the hangar.

The two Cassies rolled to a stop, the real one getting to her feet first, and planting her foot into her doppelganger's jaw. The false Cassie rolled from the impact and got back to her feet.

" **You want me, then you gotta earn it!** " Cassie taunted.

"Gladly," the false Cassie said, right before teleporting.

Cassie scoffed. " **That again? Show me something new.** "

She would come to regret those words as she somersaulted to the side, just as a plume of flame landed where she was at moments earlier. Sure fire couldn't hurt her, due to her being the host of the Phoenix's dark power, but she didn't want to show off that skill.

'Human Torch? Or is that Firestar?' Cassie wondered.

She then mentally cursed as the false Cassie caught her as she recovered, planting both feet into her face, butsing her lip, drawing blood.

"You should have just surrendered, Cassandra," the false Cassie said. "What happens next is on you."

" **You should have ran,** " Cassie replied. " **When this is over...I will kill you.** "

"You won't get the chance," her doppelganger replied.

Cassie smirked. Then she ensnared her false copy with her telekinesis yet again. Only this time, she went for the throat, constricting her airway Then Cassie slammed the doppelganger into the ceiling, and back onto the floor, stunning her. Using her mind, Cassie lifted her back to her feet, and went on the attack. A vicious right cross that made the opponent spin 180 degrees. Then, Cassie used her telepathy to ensnare and slam her doppelganger's face into the concrete.

(We see that the ribs of the false Cassie break from the impact.)

Cassie wasn't finished. Her opponent still ensnared in her telekinesis, Cassie flung her clone towards her, back-first, until she grabbed her, locked her hands around her waist and using the momentum to plant the doppelganger headfirst into the pavement via a brutal German Suplex.

(We see that the neck of the false Cassie break from the impact)

Getting back up to her feet, Cassie charged, and landed a football punt-style kick to the fake Cassie's groin, flipping her ass-over-head, her scream sounding like music to Cassie's ears as the copy landed in a heap.

Before Cassie could capitalize, the false Cassie teleported from her place on the ground.

" **Teleport all you want,** " Cassie taunted. " **It's only gonna be worse for you.** "

"I have underestimated you, Cassandra," her clone said. "That was my mistake. One that I shall soon rectify. I see now that you are too big of a threat. You have no idea what you are fighting for. I do. I fight for my people. I fight for a cause greater than you can imagine. Your resistance is delaying the inevitable."

" **Been there, done that, got the T-shirt and the busted ribs to go with it,** " Cassie sneered. "A **nything you've seen, I've probably been through it already.** "

"You know nothing," the false Cassie said, just as she appeared directly overhead, fist raised to deliver the killing blow on Cassie.

Had the doppelganger been paying attention instead of preparing for the deathblow, she would had notice Cassie's shift in her stance, the legs tensing.

As the false Cassie came down, Cassie crouched down, and performed a backflip kick. Had her father been there to see it, he would had wept tears of joy. Cassie's attack caught the clone by surprise, her jaw exploding in pain, and knocking her back into the air.

But Cassie wasn't finished. Landing on her shoulders, Cassie propelled herself upward in a vertical bicycle kick, repeatedly kicking her copy in the face and chest. Then, Cassie grabbed the doppelganger by the neck, her legs squeezing the life out of it, flipped and slammed the false copy to the ground, while Cassie somersaulted off her opponent, flipping up-and-over, landing on her feet.

"You got Caged," Cassie said, smirking at her fallen foe, her eyes going back to normal.

(Super-Skrull's Theme ends here)

"Cassie!"

Both the real and fake Cassie turned to the sound of Johnny's voice. Within seconds, the fake Cassie teleported back onto her feet, just as Johnny kicked the door in, gun in hand, accompanied by Sonya, her own military-issued firearm in her hands. The parents of Cassie both froze at the sight of not one, but two Cassies.

"DON'T SHOOT!" the dual Cassies shouted, hands raised.

"I'm the real Cassie! Shoot her!" Cassie shouted.

"No, I'M the real Cassie!" the fake Cassie insisted, pointing at the real one. "Shoot her! She's the fake! Not me!"

"Fuck you! I'm Cassie Cage!"

"Fuck you! I'M Cassie Cage!"

Johnny looked at Sonya. She was torn over who was the real one, hence her hesistation. They both looked exactly the same, demanding that she or Johnny shoot the other. If she chose wrong and shot her daughter by accident, then she wouldn't forgive herself.

Johnny, however, decided to take the proverbial third option. "'Every Dog Has Its Day' sucked balls!" he shouted.

Cassie stopped her screaming and spun on her father, whereas the other Cassie had a puzzled look on her face. "What?!"

At that moment, Sonya understood what her husband had done. While Cassie wasn't a big fan of most of her dad's films, 'Every Dog Has Its Day' was her all-time favorite. Insulting it within earshot usually ends with the offender getting a busted lip. Kung Jin learned that lesson the hard way when he insulted said film.

Sonya didn't hesitate. She aimed her gun at the confused Cassie and fired at her knees. Two shots, one per knee. What shocked Cassie and her parents was the fact that there was green blood coming out from the injuries.

To add insult to injury, Cassie stomped on the injured right knee of the doppelganger, ruining it even more, the fake Cassie's screams echoing throughout the empty hangar.

"At least you shot the right one," Johnny mused.

Sonya said nothing as she walked up to the injured doppelganger. She raised her gun at the fake Cassie's head and was about to pull the trigger when...

"No! No...please...please don't..."

Once again, the false Cassie changed. Her skin went green, the ears became pointed at the tip, the chin ruffled. But she still looked liked Cassie.

"What...the fuck...?" Johnny asked, flabbergasted.

"This...thing wanted to replace me with itself," Cassie said. "When I didn't want to go quietly, it tried to kill me."

If looks could kill, then the green-skinned Cassie would had been reduced to atoms. Slowly, deliberately, Johnny and Sonya raised their guns.

"Wait."

Cassie's voice cut through her parents' growing anger...and their desire to unload their clips into the whimpering...thing.

"You think the Red Lotus should know about this?" Cassie asked. "This may not be just an isolated incident with me."

Johnny and Sonya looked at one another, with the latter nodding towards her husband. Tossing his gun to Cassie, who made it hover in the air before making the firearm settle into her outstretched hand, Johnny fished out his phone and after leaving through his contacts, found that of his secretary/Red Lotus plant.

Mey answered on the third ring. "Chairman?"

"Mey...get in touch with the Shaolin and the Edenians. Track the signal to my phone and meet us here. Now."

Mey caught the urgency mixed with the anger in his voice. "The grandmasters are here in San Francisco, sir. I'm with them at the moment."

"Good. Track the signal, and bring all three to Fort Charles. There's something that may interest them."

"Understood, Chairman. On the way."

Mey arrived with the Red Lotus grandmasters two minutes later via portal. Inside the empty hangar, stood a furious Cassie, and her just-as-pissed parents. And chained to a chair, was what could have been Cassie's twin, save for the green skin, multiple chins and the pointed ears, and the fact that she had been beaten six ways to Sunday, while the real Cassie looked barely winded, despite the bruises.

All the while, the false Cassie kept whispering, "He loves me...he loves me..."

The Cage family did not miss the look of shock on the Edenian princess's face, of which the same look of shock became clear on the former Shaolin and her best friend.

"You've see them before, haven't you?" Cassie asked.

Slowly, Kitana nodded. "They are known as Skrulls. Shapeshifting aliens. We know because they tried to infiltrate the Red Lotus five days ago." She gestured to Jade. "Jade and I found out and we caught the infiltrator." A sadistic smirk crept across her face. "The Skrull spilled its guts after being threatened with torture."

The Red Lotus looked down on torture, but in some cases, heing infiltrated had made an exception to that rule. While Kitana was a devoted wife and grandmaster, she had a vicious streak a mile wide that could give Cassie a run for her money. She knew how to torture and interrogate back when she was Shao Kahn's stepdaughter and his best assassin. When she was a revenant, she learned some new tricks from Drahmin. Looking back, she actually felt bad having to kill the Oni.

"What do you know?" asked Johnny.

"The planet is being invaded," Liu explained. "The Skrull home planet was destroyed, and now they seek this planet for their people."

"From what we learned, their modus operandi is to subdue key targets, and replace them with Skrull duplicates," Jade continued.

"A secret invasion..." Sonya whispered, horrified.

"Is there a way to tell who's who?" Johnny asked.

Looking Johnny square in the eyes, Liu uttered three words. "He loves you."

Nothing happened. "What?" Cassie asked in a flat tone.

Kitana breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, they're real."

"'He loves you?'" Johnny repeated.

"According to the Skrull that the Grandmasters interrogated, Chairman," Mey interjected, "it's the only way we can figure out the difference between a Skrull and us. If the phrase is uttered within hearing of a disguised Skrull, the Skrull will drop their disguise and reply with the same phrase."

Liu then added with a smirk, "And it would be disappointing to find out that after all you three have been through, that you were replaced by Skrulls."

"Glad we didn't disappoint you, Liu," Sonya said.

"You don't know..."

The exiled kombatants and Mey stopped and looked at the bound Skrull.

Skrull-Cassie looked up, eyes in defiance. "You don't even know what you're fighting for! You don't know..." She looked at Cassie. "I know you want to kill me, Cassandra. We were trained to die."

Cassie gave the Skrull an ugly grin that sent chills down even the spines of the three ex-revenants. "That's good to hear." Using her mind, she snapped the Skrull's neck, the last thing it heard before dying was Cassie saying, "Because I have no problem killing you."

Then she incinerated the corpse, leaving no trace of its body behind. Turning to her mother, she said, "I'm going to take that vacation to New York with Dad," she said as she stalked out of the hangar.

"I'm really glad she didn't have those powers back in Earthrealm," Liu muttered.

"You wasn't the one who fought her," Kitana added. To Johnny and Sonya, she said, "Your daughter can be scary at times."

"Are you kidding? I'd be more worried for Shinnok if she was a mutant back in Earthrealm," Johnny added. He smirked. "Although seeing Cassie bounce his ass all over the Jinsei Chamber would've been fun to watch."

"Can you blame her?" Sonya asked. "She got tired of playing the victim." She sighed. "This is just what we need now. A goddamned invasion."

"Best thing to do is to weed out those Skrulls who are among us," Johnny said. "I'll get started with my business. You may want to see if Julia can come up with something that can be subtle in discovering the truth."

Sonya nodded.

"Better make sure to know who you can trust," Liu warned. He turned to Johnny. "You may want to let Rand and his friends know about this."

"Might as well. I'm heading to New York within the week."

Liu nodded. He then said something that surprised Sonya. "Keep your family safe, Johnny."

Johnny nodded. "The same with you and yours, Liu."

The three Red Lotus grandmasters and Mey left via portal.

"Okay, I didn't see that coming," Sonya said as she and Johnny exited the hangar.

Johnny gave his wife a small grin. "You mean Liu showing some shred of concern for us?" When Sonya nodded, Johnny continued. "Despite everything that's happened, there is a form of mutual respect between us. A grudging form of respect, but it's there."

"Respect between champions," Sonya said. "After all, you did what Liu couldn't do, that is beat Shinnok. Should we warn Stark?"

"No. Let Stark and his gang of sellouts play hero. Knowing him, he probably knows already. I am worried about Rand and his friends. Liu's right. They need to be warned."

"Tell them about the military registry," Sonya reminded him. "I know that Luke has a kid, but it would help if his family were safe within Fort Burton. Plus, the Mighty Avengers would be unable to touch them."

"First things first, babe. We need to get our own house in order. If the Skrulls had the balls to try and replace Cassie, then your men and my business are at risk." Johnny sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "One thing for sure...this realm sure as hell isn't boring."

Sonya couldn't help but to agree with that sentiment.


	38. 27: Expedition Into Latveria, Part One

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Team S-F's Mission – Expedition Into Latveria, Part One**

Snafu's Notes: Part of the first fight scene here was inspired by the Johnny/Sonya vs Shinnok seen in Mortal Kombat X. In regards to Doom's face, I heard that they retconned it to have it that there was a scar underneath the left eye, rather than having him looking Tyrion Lannister-level hideous. And for shits and giggles, I tossed in a Street Fighter Animated Movie.

Doomstadt, Latveria - two hours before the death of Elektra...

Nothing got by him. This was his home. Anything that was of significance was immediately brought to his attention. Such in this case, a group of intruders having arrived via portal within Doomstadt Park. Normally, he would send a squad of Doombots and a contingent of his Latverian Special Forces to deal with the intruders, but he decided to deal with them himself.

It was a small group; the masked men were of no issue. But the eight that stood out...that was a different story. He could sense the power coming from them. Well, the sharply-dressed Chinese man with the graying hair and the redhead, anyway.

He emerged from the trees, stepping into view; his armor making him six-foot-seven, and tipping the scales at four-fifteen, partially concealed by the green tunic, the head also partially concealed by the hooded cloak that fluttered in the evening breeze.

He sized the intruders up. The Chinese man, the woman in purple, and the redhead were the biggest threats. The well-built man with the black dragon tattoos on his arms and the metal implant on his face was a close second. The younger man appeared to be a carbon copy of him, which meant that he was probably the older man's son. The other man gripping the battle axe and the woman with the swords in her hands...no threat to him. The earth-like ninja reminded him of Ben Grimm...just not as ugly.

The one-eyed man had his knives out in a flash, but the Chinese man stayed his hand. "First meetings usually warrant an introduction."

Victor Von Doom tilted his head. "A person who does not know who Doom is? That is a first. Doom is a name that commands respect. And it is a reason to be feared." His eyes narrowed. "And you are trespassing onto Doom's land."

"My apologies, Lord Doom." The Chinese man bowed. "I am Shang Tsung. It seems that we were mistaken in coming here." He gestured to Kano. "My...associate thought that this was the location of one of his organization's many hideouts."

Doom folded his arms across his chest. "Had there been, I would have personally seen to the task of eradicating any trace of your comrade's blasphemy."

Kano took a step forward. "Now see here, you..."

"Kano, enough," Shang ordered. "We are here for a specific purpose. No need to antagonize the ruler of these lands."

"Listen to your friend. Doom is not as forgiving as many people think," Doom threatened.

A hard glare from Shang was enough to silence the Black Dragon chieftain. "Your comrade has no dignity. Or manners." Doom pointed out.

Shang couldn't help but to smirk, as he told Raiden the same thing. "It seems that brilliant minds think alike. I too, said the same thing about Kano."

Doom folded his arms across his chest. "Speak."

"We are here on behalf of Lord Raiden, God of Thunder and Lightning, Ruler of Earthrealm," Shang said in a diplomatic tone. "Our task is an important, yet simple one. We seek three of his renegade champions; Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Cassandra Cage."

Behind the mask, Doom cocked one eyebrow. Seems that Shang's info was lacking. Otherwise, he would have known about their second daughter. "The Cage family...I know of them."

"Finally, we're getting somewhere," The masked woman with the sais grumbled.

Shang sized Doom up. "I was right. They are here." He took a step forward. "You seem like a reasonable man, Lord Doom. Help us in our task of not only delivering the Cage family to us, but also Liu Kang and Kitana."

"Yes...I know of them as well."

Shang grinned. "Help us in our quest, and Lord Raiden will shine his light on you. Maybe even make you ruler of this realm."

Doom acted as if he was taking some time to think it over. Then he gave his answer. "It's funny. I may not have the strong smell of Wolverine, but even I see through your honeyed words, Shang Tsung." He raised one hand and clenched it into a fist. "This world will soon be mine. Doom needs no help from an insane god or his underlings to conquer it." He chuckled. "Oh, yes...Doom knows about Raiden. Doom is also privy as to the reason why the Cage family is such a threat, as Cassandra Cage was the one that bested Shinnok, a being that neither you nor Liu Kang could accomplish."

Shang sighed. "It seems that we will not be friends. No matter. Your home shall be useful as a base of operations." To Kano, he said, "Kill him."

Kano grinned. "Gladly."

Kano's smugness turned to shock when Doom disappeared...and reappeared right in front of him.

 **POW.**

The right cross that followed looked casual, but it had some serious power behind it, as it knocked Kano through a tree. The look of disbelief on the faces of Shang and the others were priceless.

"I know what you are thinking," Doom said as he casually shook out his hand. He gestured to his armor. "You assumed that because of this armor, that it would hinder my movements? That Doom would be easy to defeat? Appearances can be deceiving." He gestured to Kano, who was being helped to his feet by Darren. "As your comrade learned the hard way."

Jarek, Tasia, and Tremor looked at their fallen leader. Then they brandished their weapons...

...and froze when they noticed the small red dots on their chest. In fact, Shang Tsung, Skarlet, Mileena, and the contingent of Red Dragon troops all had red dots on their chests, as did Kano and his son.

Doom chuckled. "Doom is many things. Foolish is not one of them."

From the shadows and the trees, they emerged. For Kano, they reminded him of Sonya Blade's S-F forces, of which he and the Black Dragon had taken sadistic pleasure of putting to the sword some three years earlier; black body armor, balaclavas hiding their faces...and armed with IMI Galil assault carbines, loaded with armor-piercing rounds.

"While Doombots are effective, my Latverian Special Forces are among the finest in the world," Doom explained, barely concealing the smugness in his tone. "They have been hand-picked and trained to combat all threats; foreign, domestic, and supernatural. Not even HYDRA nor S.H.I.E.L.D. can match the training I put my men through." He grinned behind his mask. "Which means should Doom chooses, all of you would be summarily executed without a single thought."

Shang did not like where this was going.

"However...even Doom can show mercy to a dog." A gesture from Doom, and the red dots vanished from Kano, his son and his three lieutenants. "I've fought the likes of Thanos. I've conquered Black Bolt." He pointed at Kano. "Unless you and your minions prove Doom wrong, then you or your friends will not be a challenge."

"If there's one thing we're good at, it's survival," Kano said. "You'll be quite the warm-up before we go after the Cage family."

Doom smirked. 'If only you knew.'

(cue Doctor Doom's Theme from Fantastic Four 2005)

Kano and Tremor attacked first; Kano on Doom's left, and Tremor on Doom's right. Almost in a casual manner, Doom deflected and parried the attacks. Doom ducked under Kano's laser blast, and blocked Kano's kick to the head, followed by Jarek's kick that was aimed at his side. Doom then ducked to avoid the double punch and grabbed both their hands when they tried to punch him again. Doom then slammed both Jarek and Kano together, stunning them, before blasting them both back with a photon shot.

Darren attacked next. What made it infuriating for him was that not only wasn't Doom paying attention, but the fact that he was doing it with one hand behind his back. After blocking a series of Ying Xi attacks, Doom stepped to the side, causing Darren's attack to miss. The front roundhouse Darren was able to dodge, but the second spinning back kick landed on his jaw.

And it hurt like bloody blazes.

Then he felt the armored hand of Doom around his neck, lifting him effortlessly into the air. "You are twenty years too early to best Doom, boy."

"Let him go!" Kano, now recovered, was in full papa wolf mode. A rare thing for him to see, but his son was just as twisted as he was.

Smirking, Doom flung Darren towards his father. Kano somersaulted over him, and launched himself at Doom, who dodged the Cannonball, but left himself exposed to Tremor's left cross. Doom shrugged it off and let loose a single photon blast sent Tremor flying into a tree of his own.

Tasia, having vanished in a crimson mist, reappeared behind Doom, ready to strike.

Without turning around, Doom - having detected Tasia's presence - casually backhanded her. Tasia fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, the katanas falling from her hands, unconscious.

Sparks kicked off of Doom's metallic forearm as Kano's massive blade made impact. A hard slap caused Kano to drop the knife to the ground. Doom then caught Kano's left fist with his hand, and repeated the same gesture with the second hand. Cocking his head back, Doom slammed his head into Kano's head, which was followed by a front snap kick that knocked Kano backwards.

Morphing his hands into twin stone mallets, Tremor attacked. At the same time, Jarek, having recovered, also went on the attack.

"Predictable," Doom sneered as he sidesetpped Jarek's overhead axe, stopping short of splitting Tremor's chest open. Doom's fist bounced off of Jarek's skull. Then he went after Tremor. Doom blocked Tremor's punch, and parried the following backhand. When Tremor attempted a double-palm strike, Doom stomped on Tremor's foot hard, stunning him. The hard kick to the knee made Tremor buckle, staggering him, the earth ninja to fall to his good knee.

A straight punch to the face had bloodied Tremor's nose. The right cross rocked Tremor's head to the side. The knee that followed knocked Tremor on his back. The kick to the torso knocked Tremor back to Kano, Darren and Tasia, the latter having recovered, yet found themselves dogpiled on the massive man.

Doom staggered as he felt someone try and tackle him from behind. A distraction, but temporary, as Doom kept his footing. He did, however, ensnared Jarek in a headlock with one arm, with his other fist on a direct course to his face.

 **SMASH.**

"One!"

 **SMASH.**

"Two!"

Doom saw that Kano and the others were struggling to their feet, and decided to chuck Jarek at Kano and his cohorts. "Three strikes! You're out!"

Jarek collided with Kano and his comrades, landing in an undignified heap.

(Doom's Theme ends here)

From his place, Shang Tsung groaned as he shook his head. Kano and his lieutenants were the most dangerous, and the most unpredictable of Raiden's warriors. And Doctor Doom bested them all with little difficulty. Shang lived long enough to know that failure meant death. Shao Kahn and Raiden both enforced that rule with extreme prejudice.

He began to whisper an incantation in an ancient tongue. It would not open a portal, but it would get them far away from here.

"Is that it?" Doom asked in a bored tone. "I was expecting a challenge. Perhaps I should challenge Raiden instead." To his soldiers, Doom merely said terminate words. "By order of Doom, shall you be executed. All of you."

Before the L.S.F. could carry out the order, a blinding flash of light erupted from where Shang and the others stood. When the light cleared, they were gone, Shang, the Black Dragon, all.

"Search the park! Lock down the capital!" one of the soldiers bellowed. "They can't get far!"

"Don't bother," Doom said. "They are not in the capital, or within Doom's land. I cannot sense them at all. They have escaped. For now."

"Orders, Excellency?" the soldier asked.

"The city is under a mandatory curfew, effective immediately. Anyone who is a foreigner is to be brought in for questioning." Doom's hand balled into a fist. "This is not over. This is only the beginning." Looking up to the sky, Doom thought, 'It seems that the Cage family and the Red Lotus's pasts has come back to haunt them. This should be interesting to watch and see if they can rise to the occasion.' 

* * *

Doom Castle, Present Day.

He sat in front of the chessboard, brooding, metallic hands steepled together. He appeared to be intently staring at the chessboard, with some of its pieces having been moved and placed to the side. In truth, he was not brooding about the game of chess, but rather the series of events that had taken place the past couple of days that had him concerned...and amused.

Victor Von Doom was privy to the Cage family's true origins, not to mention those of the Red Lotus grandmasters. But seeing as how they had not hindered him or his plans in any was, shape, or form, he did not attack them or Cage Incorporated. But even he had a chuckle over the fact that Johnny and Sonya not only undermined Tony Stark during his tenure as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but also the fact that Cassandra Cage had gotten away with being a mutant alongside her sister.

'Interesting times, indeed,' Doom thought.

He had witnessed the battle at Cage Incorporated, in which the Cage family had joined forces with the Red Lotus, the X-Men and the Avengers to defend themselves against the combined might of Kano, the Black Dragon, and the Hand. He knew of their past back in Earthrealm, yet the revelations at the Cage family home helped fill in some of the details. Sure Magik and Doctor Strange were powerful sorcerers in their own right alongside Kitana, but Doom was far superior, as they were unable to detect him.

But the fact that Cassandra Cage and her sister were the hosts to the Phoenix Force - the cosmic entity that both the X-Men and the Avengers were looking for - threw Doom for a loop...and made him laugh as the Cage family once again pulled one over the eyes of the Avengers and the X-Men for so long.

Word reached him of Elektra's death at the hands of Kano. He had connections in that part of the world, and he was given a detailed report on what had happened. Elektra had been winning at first, but a cheap shot from Mileena had turned the tables in Kano's favor. The end result was Elektra dead, her soul consumed by that damned sorcerer.

Oh, he knew of Shang Tsung and Kano. In fact, before being forced to retreat, their first stop was here.

Doom was not amused by the intruders. Not even Shang Tsung's flattery or Kano's threats could sway him to their side. He knew that this was far from over. But despite everything, he could not help but to feel a bit of responsibility for being the cause of Elektra's death.

He was still brooding over the chessboard when a manservant entered the room. "A thousand pardons, Your Excellency, but we have intruders within the city limits."

"Location?" Doom rumbled.

"Doomstadt Park. Quite a number on them - twelve in total. They have arrived by means of a portal."

"Do you have an ID?"

"Four are Avengers, five are unknown and the last one is Cassandra Cage."

Doom looked up. He had past dealings with the elder daughter of Johnny and Sonya. "If she is here, then she must be leading them. Very well. Have Masters lead a squad of L.S.F. to their location. No harm is to come to Cassandra and her team...yet. I have a very good feeling as to why she is here. Doom will have words with her."

The manservant bowed. "As you command, Excellency." 

* * *

Doomstadt Park.

Doomstadt. Originally known as Hessenstadt, it was changed to Doomstadt by Victor von Doom to honor his late mother once he had overthrew the previous ruler and claimed the small country as his own.

Following her graduating from West Point, Cassie had decided to visit her aunt in England. Then, on a whim, she decided to travel throughout Europe, returning to America after reaching Berlin. Her European tour had taken her through Latveria. Upon finding out that Cassie had travelled through Doom's backyard without incident, both Sonya and Ravenna said that she was out of her mind.

At least Doomstadt Park was the same as Cassie remembered it. She sat on a bench, waiting as both Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk shook off the effects of travelling through the portal. At least Simon and Iron Fist took it much better than she expected. Overhead, Enenra flew in slow circles, getting a lay of the land.

It was early evening in Doomstadt, the sun having vanished, and night was beginning to fall. Fortunately, the section of the park was secluded.

However, as Cassandra Cage knew from her long life, appearances can be very deceiving, especially when it came to this realm. Even with a mission as simple as this, nothing was ever simple. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way back in Earthrealm. Back when she was a Sergeant...and nearly twenty years younger.

"So...what's the plan?" Frost asked.

Cassie pointed to the massive castle overlooking the city. "That's our destination. Doom Castle."

"Not very subtle," Stryker added, looking at the place. He snorted in derision. "Whoever designed his castle must've scrimped notes from Shinnok's architect."

Enenra landed on Smoke's shoulder. "Park's clear for the moment. Seems that the place is on high alert."

"Can it be from us?" Iron Fist asked, concerned, Ms. Marvel walking up alongside him.

Stryker looked around the park. "No. Not from us. There was a fight here. It's pretty hard to miss, but the signs are still there." He shrugged his shoulders. "When you're a cop, you pick things up."

"If my granddad was still alive, maybe you and him could trade notes," Cassie said as she fished out her PDA. "You'd like him. He was a cop. He and Dad didn't see eye-to-eye when he became an actor back in Earthrealm."

"I'm still in shock that Johnny was able to woo your mother." When Cassie glared at the former cop, Stryker quickly added, "I didn't mean it like that, Captain. Your dad is well...a pompous ass."

"Who did a good job of being Raiden's champion after Liu died," Cassie said as she dialed her mother's number. "To the world...he was Johnny Cage, hotshot superstar. But to me...he's my dad. Most people don't know him like Mom and I do. Sure he can be crass and a total asshole...but when it came down to it, there's nothing that he wouldn't do for Mom and me. Fleeing Earthrealm was a blessing in disguise. It allowed us to start over. To become a family."

Stryker sighed. "I guess I can see where you're coming from, Cage. I didn't know my folks. The revenants were the closest thing to a family I had."

Cassie nodded. Seconds later, Sonya's face appeared on the PDA. "Captain, report."

"All are present and accounted for, General," Cassie reported. "How are things on your end?"

"We managed to find a straggler. According to him, Deadpool knocked him out and shoved him inside a janitor's closet," the Cage matriarch explained.

Cassie frowned. "Speaking of which...where the hell is Deadpool?" 

* * *

[Cut to Deadpool's hideout. A pile of cash - his payday - is placed on the table, Deadpool having cashed the check from Johnny Cage. He is unmasked, savoring the smothered chicken chimichanga that he had just made...while reading the plot outline for **Mortal Kombat: Desperation**.]

DEADPOOL: (chuckles) Ahh, Tasia...first you get your hands chopped off, then you get your ass handed to you by Jacqui...compared to what happened to you in this story, you got off lucky. (takes a bite out of the chimichanga) Ohh...this is heaven. 

* * *

Back to the story...

Cassie frowned. "Speaking of which...where the hell is Deadpool?"

"He bailed after your father and I paid him," Sonya explained. "We did manage to get some important information out of him."

"Go on," Cassie said, noticing that Team S-F, the two ex-revenants and the Avengers were listening in.

"From what we found out, Shang Tsung and Kano came to Latveria first," Sonya explained. "Remember that back in Earthrealm that Latveria didn't exist there, that this region originally had a Black Dragon hideout."

"Yeah, I read the report as well," Cassie said.

"Doom discovered them and sought them out. Shang Tsung made him an offer to aid him and Kano in tracking him down, and Doom refused. Shang then ordered Kano to kill Doom, but Doom fought not only Kano off, but also Tasia, Tremor, Jarek and Darren."

Jin let out a whistle. "This Doom character must be powerful to hold his own against the Black Dragon. And Shang didn't interfere?"

"Guess not," Cassie said.

"Doom is as dangerous as they come," She-Hulk concurred. "The Avengers fought him in the past on many occasions."

"But Kano is no pushover. Up until his death, anyway," Cassie said. "Mom, Dad and Uncle Jax fought him in the past. Doom fights the Black Dragon, and wins. Shang Tsung is forced to retreat."

Sonya nodded. "Right at The Hand's doorstep."

"And Kano is pissed. So he takes it out on Elektra," Cassie concludes. "He kills her, and takes command of the Hand."

"Not quite," Sonya said. "Kano scraped when Mileena interfered, attacking Elektra from behind. But still, the results are the same."

"Elektra dies, and her death is what set things in motion," Cassie concluded.

"Kitana has been notified of this development, of course, but you're still in unfriendly territory, and we're not certain if Doom will help us."

"He will," Cassie said. "The fact that Raiden wants to either conquer or destroy this planet is to him, insulting. He wants to rule the world, and will not settle for second place. He may be a bad guy, but he will honor his word."

"For your sake, Cass, I hope you're right," her mother said. "Blade out."

"Cage out." Cassie ended the call.

"So the plot thickens," Ms. Marvel muses. "Doom was never one to play nice with others."

"I think you have him mistaken for the late Norman Osborn," Iron Fist noted.

Before anyone could inquire further, Enenra cawed loudly and hopped off of Smoke's shoulder, morphing from a giant-sized raven to a ravenous, demonic-looking wolf the size of a pony, eyes glowing red, fangs bared.

"We're not alone." Smoke pointed to the forests. "There."

It was a presence that Cassie recognized. She felt that power back in Union Vale when he participated in the raid on her childhood home. It was the same type of power that Raiden radiated, the kind that made your hair stand up on end.

The ex-revenants, Frost, Team S-F, and the Avengers - Simon included were immediately on the offensive, energy blasts and firearms at the ready. Save for Cassie.

"Stand down," Cassie ordered. "He's no threat. At least, I hope he's not." Raising her voice, she then addressed the man hiding in the shadows. "Isn't that right, God of War?"

"How perspective of you, Cassandra." The voice was deep, radiating power that reminded the Exiled Kombatants of Raiden. Simon and the other Avengers cautiously lowered their weapons. They knew who the voice belonged to. Ares emerged from behind the tree, the massive labrys - the double-bladed Minoan battleaxe strapped - to his back.

"Ares," Cassie greeted.

"Captain," Ares responded.

Simon's eyes narrowed. The last time he was working with Ares, said god of war had shot Hercules with bullets dipped in the blood of the Hydra. Cue the ass-kicking from Hercules on his part.

"Ares?" the ex-revenants, Team S-F, and Frost said in unison.

"Yeah," grunted Ares. "Son to Zeus and Hera. Mount Olympus. Piss me off, and I'll split you from gullet to groin with my axe. Yeah, I'm that Ares."

Enenra growled. Ares looked at the smoke demon. "Tell your pet to calm down, or I'll make a smoke rug out of his corpse." He turned to Cassie. "You should be fortunate, Cassandra, that my mother has found favor with you and your family. Had it not been for Mother's divine protection on you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Frost couldn't help but to smrk behind her mask. "Wow. You never cease to amaze me, Cage. You and your family have a bad habit of pissing off gods."

Cassie rolled her eyes, ignoring the barb. "Still mad about Union Vale?"

Iron Fist tapped Cassie on the shoulder. "What exactly did you do to piss him off?" he asked, pointing to Ares.

"Punched him in the balls, and pistol-whipped him, cracking his skull," Cassie replied. To Ares, she asked. "Why are you here?"

Ares grinned. "It's been a while since I had such a good fight. And this war is definitely worth my time. While Athena prefers tactics and subterfuge..." He paused to brandish the axe and place it on his shoulder. "...I'm a bit more pragmatic. Guess that's why that Athena favors both you and your mother, while Hera favors your father and Ravenna. And no, we did not influence you in your decisions during the battle at Cage Incorporated, so don't ask."

"So your parents know about my past."

"Yes, as they do with the Red Lotus. We always knew, but we kept silent on the matter. As for the Red Lotus, they have the support of the Japanese Kami. My mother has requested that I aid you and your family on the frontlines in this war. Amd I wouldn't be the God of War if I didn't deliver." He looked up at Doom's castle. "Any reason why we're in Doom's neck of the woods?"

"Gonna have a chat with the man himself. See if he can help us," Cassie replied.

"A calculated risk," Ares noted. But seeing as we're in unfriendly lands, it's a risk worth taking."

The next voice then cut through the air, reminding of Team S-F (bar Cassie) of a certain deceased gunslinger. "Not to mention a point you might make with more subtlety, given your surroundings."

From the shadows, a contingent of Latverian Special Forces emerged from behind the trees, assault rifles drawn and aimed at the god and the gathering of heroes. But it was the mercenary that led them that stood out.

While Doctor Doom had his connections with the Cage Family, Tony Masters had his own connetions with the Red Lotus Society, as it was Kitana who was one of the few people in his long career that had bested him in combat. He had seen the Red Lotus rise to power in the underworld, and on a whim, decided to challenge the grandmasters to combat.

Kitana had been his opponent.

Not even his ability to read his opponent's moves was able to best Kitana's experience which dwarfed his many times over. Suffice to say, his loss was his own fault, as he had became complacent in his abilities.

The reason why Taskmaster was in Latveria was for a more personal reason. One side effect of the Nazi serum which granted him his abilities was also the main reason behind the loss of his memories, as anything he learned new pushed his old memories out. That was where Doctor Doom came in, promising treatment for his ailment in exchange of working for him as a private instructor for his Latverian Special Forces.

One thing about Taskmaster was that when bought, he stayed bought.

' **It's not Erron Black,** ' Cassie fired off a mental note to Frost, the two ex-revenants, and Team S-F. ' **This is Taskmaster. Long story short, he can memorize your movements and use them against you.** '

Giving a mental order for her team to remain calm, Cassie stepped forward, with Taskmaster doing the same, stopping only within arms' reach of each other.

"Lieutenant Cage," Taskmaster greeted.

"Masters," Cassie replied. "It's Captain. Battlefield promotion."

"My apologies," Taskmaster replied, albeit in a mocking fashion. "You know, when your family and friends start a war, feel free to call me. It's been a while since I had a good fight."

"My apologies," Cassie replied in the same mocking tone. "I think that would be a conflict of interest, seeing as how you're in Doomstadt."

"You call it that. I call it being flexible." Taskmaster glanced at the group behind Cassie. "Will your friends be a problem?"

"They won't. I'll take responsibility for their actions," Cassie said.

"Fair enough. Doom's been expecting you. So long as your friends don't try anything funny, he promises safe conduct. Follow me...and behave."

Taskmaster gave the soldiers a nod. They lowered their weapons, but kept them at the ready.

'We got our foot in the door, guys,' Cassie said as she led the heroes onward. 'That's a good thing. Let me do the talking, and don't do anything stupid.' 

* * *

Now that Cassie thought about it, it had been her first time inside Doom's massive fortress. The first time they spoke, it had been with a hologram, Doom offering her congratulations in saving the life of his favorite ambassador.

The trek from Doomstadt to the fortress went on without a hitch, but even Cassie and the others saw that the fortress was on alert, as was the town, following Shang Tsung's visit. But knowing Doom, Cassie suspected that Latveria was on high alert following the failed assault on Cage Incorporated.

Taskmaster led Cassie and the others to the throne room, and opened the doors. The throne itself was empty. Instead, the man in question sat hunched over at a table, staring intently at a chessboard.

Cassie felt Takeda's hand on her shoulder. 'That's him?' he asked.

'That's him,' she replied, gently brushing off his hand and walking forward, but not before giving a mental order for the others to stay back. Cassie approached the Latverian ruler calmly, not wanting to make herself appear hostile. Taskmaster stood behind and to the side of Doom, watching her every move.

"Cassandra Cage," Doom intoned. "Welcome to my humble home."

"Victor," Cassie replied. She looked at the chessboard. "Playing chess by yourself? You couldn't find anyone else to play with you?"

"After besting the world's best, there are none that are my equal," Doom replied. "Do you play?"

"Xavier taught me. Real good for learning strategy. That, and shogi."

Doom gestured to the empty seat. Cassie pulled it back and sat down. Doom moved a piece. Cassie responded by moving her own piece. "I take it that this is not a social visit?"

"I'm not what you would call subtle."

"Given the fact that you not only brought several of Earth's finest heroes, but also two ex-revenants and your old team from Earthrealm."

Now, Cassie was shocked. The ex-revenants and Team S-F also shared worried looks. Cassie quickly composed herself. "So...you know the truth about my family's origins."

"Indeed." Doom moved his piece. He then gestured to his face. "You are aware of how I must hide my face?"

Cassie nodded. While Doom was quick to blame Richards for the accident, it was in fact Doom's fault. But she kept her mouth shut. No need to antagonize the armored man.

"I perfected the astral projection machine," Doom continued. "And I used it on myself in an attempt to free my beloved mother from Mephisto. Instead, I found myself in Earthrealm. The Sky Temple to be precise, during the rescue mission."

"You witnessed the raid?" asked Cassie as she moved her piece.

Doom nodded. "Impressive, as to how you bested both Sindel and Kitana. Then you went on to defeat Shinnok and save your father. Most impressive indeed, considering how your powers have not manifested. Had Doom been there in physical form, the battle would have ended much sooner."

Cassie had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. But the thought of Doom fighting Shinnok was an interesting thought. "Shinnok...even after all this time, I still have nightmares about that fight."

Doom moved his piece. "When I returned to this plane, I thought nothing more of it. Then, Cage Incorporated began its rise to prominence, and I recognized your parents, as well as yourself."

"You knew the truth all this time, yet you didn't expose us. Why?"

"In a way, Doom respects your family's strength," the Latverian warlord replied. "That respect deepened further with the revelations regarding your family's past."

Cassie knew what he was talking about. "You saw my family's past in Earthrealm." She moved her piece.

"Yes. When the Avengers and the X-Men began to converge upon your family home, I got curious. So using an astral spell, I witnessed the truth. Your family, despite its many flaws, did not fight for honor, or glory. You fought for what you believed in. You fought to protect your home. Doom cannot help but to respect that. But Raiden repaid you and your family's sacrifice and loyalty with treachery. Betrayal is something that even Doom cannot forgive."

"And you know about Kano's attack on the company. And to take a guess, you know - and probably witnessed - the rescue mission into Earthrealm."

"Very good, Cassandra. Nothing gets by Doom."

Cassie couldn't help but to smirk. "So you do realize that I can beat you in one of three moves with my next move?"

Doom looked down. Cassie had indeed maneuvered her chess pieces in such a way that her next move would cinch the victory. "Hmph. Well played, Captain. Well played."

"As much as I want to grant you a rematch, that's not the reason why I'm here. We need your help, Victor. I'm calling in the favor you owe me."

"I had a feeling you would." Doom leaned back in his chair. "Had it been anyone else, I would've told them that Doom decides what is best, both for himself and for his people. But even I see the threat that Raiden has not only for Doom's land, but this planet as a whole."

"Plus," added Cassie, "seeing someone else other than you try and conquer the planet before you would be very insulting."

Doom chuckled. "Indeed. You should be fortunate that Doom is a man of his word, Captain. You have saved the life of my favorite ambassador, and Doom always pays his debts." He steepled his hands together. "I will honor our agreement, on one condition."

"So long as it's reasonable."

"Very well. Doom requires the head of Shang Tsung."

Cassie shook her head. "That's impossible. Shang Tsung's life is Kitana's to take. He killed her best friend, and Kitana swore a blood oath to avenge her."

Doom leaned back in his chair. The armored man 'hmmed.' "A blood oath is serious indeed. Very well..."

 **BEEP. BEEP.**

Cassie's PDA came to life. Frowning, she picked up the item and activated it. Her eyes widened at the text message that was emblazoned on the screen.

 **PORTAL OPENING DETECTED. LOCATION: DOOMSTADT, LATVERIA.**

"Oh, no..." Cassie whispered in horror.

Doom's question regarding what was the matter was cut off by the report of gunfire coming from outside. From Doomstadt itself. Gunfire that was accompanied by explosions overlapping with screams.

In a rush, Doom was on the balcony, accompanied by Taskmaster, Cassie and the others. At the same time, the radio in Taskmaster's helmet crackled to life.

"A portal...opened in the center of town...what are these things?! Armored men...four-armed beasts...WAARGHH!"

Down below, Doomstadt was under attack. Several of its buildings were in flames. In short, Latveria was being invaded.

"All units, converge onto the portal! Protect the citizens! Defend the city at all costs!" a male voice crackled on the radio.

The balcony allowed Doom to see down into the city, directly into the town square. A massive portal - reddish-orange in color - was open, the ground littered with dead and dying, civilian and soldier alike.

Doom growled. "Who dares to invade my land?!" Not even Stark when he was in command of S.H.I.E.L.D. was this brazen. "Shang Tsung must have a death wish!"

Cassie moved back into the throne room, and quickly summoned a portal. "On me!" she shouted as she charged through the portal, Team S-F, the ex-revenants, Simon, Ares, Taskmaster, and the Avengers charging after her. Doom, on the other hands, began to make plans. 

* * *

In the town square...

It was like leading lambs to the slaughter, Hotaru realized as he stood alongside Goro, watching the Seidan soldiers and the Shokan rip through the people and the soldiers that defended them.

When Raiden had came to him with terms of an alliance, Hotaru had readily agreed, on the conditions that not only did Raiden aided the Seidan general in the destruction of Chaosrealm's denziens, allowing Seido its water supply, but to put an end to Darrius and the Seidan Resistance.

Once the people of Chaosrealm were exterminated and Darrius was executed, did Hotaru swear allegiance to the dark thunder god. His superior, Governor Tallen, had objected to Hotaru's actions, citing that Seidan affairs were separate from those of Earthrealm and Outworld. Before Raiden could zap him to death, Hotaru ran him through with his naginata, thus cementing his loyalty to Raiden.

When Hotaru had heard that the Cage family had fled Earthrealm, Hotaru had not been angry. Instead, he was disappointed. He had helped in training not only Johnny Cage to better control his inborn powers, but had also mentored and trained Team S-F when Johnny had brought them to Seido.

When Shang Tsung had summoned Hotaru to the Sky Temple following Raiden's immolation at the hands of Cassandra and Ravenna Cage, he was shocked to see the injured thunder god hovering in the Jinsei, in unspeakable pain. While it would take months for Raiden to recover, that didn't mean that Raiden's forces would be standing idly by.

It had been Daegon who had suggested the tactic. Hit-and-run, guerilla style. Open a portal to a city in the alternative Earthrealm, kill as many people as you can, do as much damage as you can, then retreat. Goro liked the idea, as did Hotaru. He didn't shed any tears upon hearing how the Cage family had massacared Kano and his lieutenants. Hotaru really didn't liked the Black Dragon boss anyway.

The people of this realm were shocked to see the portal in the middle of town. Then Hotaru began to set the buildings ablaze. Goro shouted a Shokan war cry and from the portal, a horde of Shokan warriors, accompanied by Seidan Guardsmen armed to the teeth, charged forth.

And the dying began.

In war, there were no innocents. Either you submit to Lord Raiden, or die. No exceptions. Hotaru's naginata was already stained with the blood of his most recent victim; a young woman. Her husband had died protecting her. The armed soldiers had fought back, but the combined might of the Shokan-Seidan assault was pushing them back.

Goro folded both sets of arms. "A good beginning," the Shokan king rumbled.

Hotaru nodded. "Indeed."

Shang had showed both Goro and Hotaru the battle at Cage Incorporated, and both agreed with Shang and Daegon that this Earthrealm was a major threat. And when Shang showed them Raiden's confrontation with Cassie Cage, her sister, Liu Kang and Kitana, and the gathering of heroes, which led to Raiden's immolation.

Both Goro and Hotaru reached the same conclusion. This new Earthrealm was a serious threat, with the Cage family and the Red Lotus topping the list. And the people whose powers could easily destroy everything Raiden has worked for...so what if people had gotten hurt, or killed?

Best to remain at the devil's side, rather than in his path.

A portal opened in the distance, the Shokan and Seidan forces stopping their wholesale slaughter of the civilians and soldiers to assess this newest threat.

From within, a roar emerged from the portal, as Enenra - now taking on the form of a horse-sized lion - leapt from the portal and pounced on the closest Seidan guardsman, his screams turning to a death rattle as the smoke demon tore his throat out. This was followed by three arrows from Kung Jin, aimed at the Shokan who was about to rip Enenra apart. The arrow to the throat was a killshot. The arrow to the chest and eye was overkill.

This did not go unnoticed by Goro and Hotaru.

Cassandra Cage and her allies have entered the fray.

A Seidan guardsman charged at Jacqui, having emerged from the portal, sword in hand. He was most surprised when the sword shattered on Jacqui's bionic forearm when she blocked his attack. A hard punch to the face drove the cartilage of his nose into his brain, killing him instantly.

Cassie Cage and Kurtis Stryker emerged, guns blazing, mowing down Shokan and Seidan Guardsman. They were nearly blindsighted by a Shokan when Ares body-checked the four-armed warrior, knocking him down. Labrys in hand, Ares drove it into the Shokan's skull, then kicked him off the heavy blade, dead before he hit the ground.

A second Shokan tried his luck, but Ares was much faster than expected. The God of War drove his foot into the Shokan's kneecap, shattering it. Then he hacked off the lower arms with the labrys, before grabbing the Shokan's head and smashing it like a melon with his bare hands, the last thing the Shokan saw was the insane grin on Ares' face.

Sento in hand - and his father guiding his - Takeda parried a Seidan's spear, before chopping off the spear's point. He then ran the Seidan through with Sento, and decapitated him for good measure. Frost froze a Shokan's legs, before flipping up-and-over, freezing him solid, before a hard kick reduced him to bloody chunks.

The Latverian Special Forces, upon seeing this, rallied and attacked the invaders with anything and everything they had. It also helped that Taskmaster was leading the charge.

"Simon! Danvers! Rand! Walters! Aid the civilians!" Cassie barked as Simon, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Iron Fist emerged from the portal. "Lethal force is authorized! Don't hesitate! If you do, you die!"

Her instincts now screaming at her, Cassie quickly moved to the side...

...but wasn't fast enough, as she yelped from the pain from Hotaru's Lava Burst, aimed at the back of her head. The projectile instead clipped the side of her head, burning away the hair down to her scalp, knocking the bun loose. While Cassie knew that her scalp would heal, the attack sure as hell stung.

Ignoring the pain, Cassie faced off against Hotaru. The dark powers of the Phoenix Force healed her wound, the pain dulling to an ache, but sadly, could not regenerate her hair.

Brandishing his bloodstained naginata, Hotaru regarded his former student. "Cassandra Cage. You disappoint me."

Cassie kept her Desert Eagle trained on the Seidan warrior. "So you joined forces with Raiden? Why am I not surprised? You were already crazy to begin with when my team trained with you with your obsession over order. But this is crossing the line."

"The ends justify the means," Hotaru replied. "A lesson that I myself taught you. It is clear that you have forgotten that."

"You have no idea what you have done here, Hotaru. This won't go unanswered."

Hotaru spun his naginata. "We shall see." He prepared for kombat.

Cassie smirked. "Not today," she said, as she hopped back...

...just as Doom slammed into the ground, creating an impact crater, having jumped from his castle and down to the ground. Eyes ablaze in absolute fury, Doom stared into the solid white eyes of the Seidan general. "Captain Cage...this is my fight. Go and aid the others," he ordered Cassie.

The smirk not leaving her face, Cassie backed down. "Don't underestimate him, Victor," she warned. "He's very dangerous."

"Your advice is noted," Doom said as Cassie ran off. Doom rose to his full height, standing over Hotaru. "One must not delay a formal declaration. You shall bear witness, Seidan. To invade my land and harm my people is to invite Doom."

"Consider this a declaration of war on this realm." With that, Hotaru attacked. 

* * *

With Ares...

Oh, how he missed the battle madness. It was upon him, and Ares was drunk with it.

He tore through the Seidans and Shokan like Godzilla stomping through Tokyo, leaving dismembered bodies and dying Shokan and Seidan soldiers in his wake.

"Father...mother...guide my hand...lend me your strength," Ares whispered as another Shokan warrior attacked. With a yell, he buried the labrys into the Shokan's chest, and kicked him away.

Before he could retrieve his axe, he was set upon by a trio of Seidan guardsmen. Ares was just as deadly barehanded as he was without the axe. Being the Greek god of war (in truth the Olympians were a race of insanely powerful extra-dimensional beings worshiped as gods), Ares was an expert in Pankration, a combination of boxing and wrestling.

In Pankration, anything and everything was permitted, save for biting, gouging, and attacking the genitals. But Ares did that and much more.

A hard kick to the groin made the first Seidan guardsman drop his sword, of which Ares quickly retrieved. He then ran the Seidan through and focused his attention on the remaining two. While the Seidans were indeed good, they were no match for the God of War, and were quickly cut down.

Then, Goro appeared. Ares had sensed him coming and quickly reacted. Dropping the sword, he picked up the dying Seidan's body, and with superhuman strength, flung him towards the massive Shokan. Almost effortlessly, Goro caught the Seidan by the leg and ripped him in two, dropping the pieces to the ground.

"You look strong," Goro rumbled as he removed his cape. "But not as strong as me, boy."

Ares removed his helmet. "Boy? I've lived thousands of years. And I've killed my share of man and beast. You're a mere pup compared to me."

Goro flexed his arms, furious at the insult. "I am Goro! General of Lord Raiden's armies and King of the Shokan! You will not see the end of this day!"

Ares felt his blood boil at the anticipation of the battle that was to come. "Finally! A real challenge!"

"Your last, mortal!"

Ares grinned. "Mortal? I'm far from mortal. You face Ares, the God of War."

Letting out a primal roar, Goro attacked. His own war cry erupting from his throat, Ares charged.


	39. 28: Expedition Into Latveria, Part Two

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Team S-F's Mission - Expedition Into Latveria, Part Two**

Snafu's Notes: After my summer vacation, Anime Weekend Atlanta, and getting a new laptop (R.I.P. to my beloved Toshiba Satellite), I am back. This Chapter is LONG. So I ended up splitting it again. I tossed in a Rogue One, and Resident Evil: Vendetta reference in here as well. I was bored. Shut up.

The Sky Temple the Jinsei Chamber, three days after the confrontation in Macau...

Two months. That's how long it will take for Raiden to fully recover following his confrontation with Cassandra and Ravenna Cage, Shang Tsung had deduced. Even now, thinking about the raw, cosmic power that the Cage sisters had wielded sent chills down his spine. Not even Shao Kahn or Quan Chi could match the power of the Phoenix Force.

Once Raiden recovered, as the saying goes, 'all bets were off.'

'A shame,' Shang thought as he watched as the immolated thunder god floated in the Jinsei, soft moans of pain coming from the maimed thunder god.

They had all underestimated the Exiled Kombatants, Shang had realized. Kano, most of all. What they knew about the rogue champions was now thrown out of the window. No longer bound by the rules of Mortal Kombat, no longer bound by the rules of fair play, they had absolutely no qualms about killing their enemies who threatened their home.

Shang himself could attest to this, as he witnessed the deaths of Kano and three of his lieutenants at the hands of the Cage family and Liu Kang.

But now, he was at an impasse. Shinnok's Amulet was gone, taken by Cassie herself. Shang knew of the power that the amulet contained. Quan Chi coveted it back when he was alive. Shinnok was nearly unstoppable when he wielded it. Raiden used it to amplify his own power.

Now, it was gone.

"So...what Daegon had said was indeed true."

Shang didn't turn around, as he recognized Goro's deep, rumbling voice from anywhere. Goro wasn't alone, as he was accompanied by the hulking Tigrar Shokan that served as his general.

When Shang Tsung revived himself and killed Ermac in the process, among the souls within the construct was that of Kintaro, Goro's successor as champion. Having been slain by Sonya Blade whilst in a Blood Code rage, Kintaro's soul was absorbed unintentionally by Ermac. Shang saw the opportunity to get himself back in Goro's good graces. Using his magic, Shang revived Kintaro. It worked like a charm. Goro got his chief enforcer, and Kintaro now has an intense hatred towards the Cage family, primarily towards Sonya and Cassie.

Goro had promised Kintaro that he would be allowed to enact his vengeance on Cassie, forcing Sonya to watch as he killed her daughter. Then he would rip off Sonya's limbs, saving her head for last.

Following Daegon healing Goro of his missing limbs, the son of Gorbak merely bided his time. When Mortal Kombat was invoked, Goro chose to fight for Raiden, while Queen Sheeva backed Kotal Kahn. While Goro felt that he should be the one to kill Kotal for slicing off his arms, he settled for the Queen of the Shokan. Despite Sheeva's best efforts, Goro killed her himself, and took the crown, naming himself King of the Shokan, and swearing fealty to Raiden.

"I should have been there."

Shang frowned. Hotaru was there alongside Goro. He had been the first to swear fealty to Raiden. He did not like the Seidan fanatic. But while he was Raiden's chief enforcer, he was a means to an end to Shang.

"It's clear that Kano had underestimated the renegade champions."

Ah. Daegon.

Shang turned around. The Shokan king and the Seidan general were flanking the Red Dragon chieftain, the Edenian demigod still looking angry, but focused. Goro looked amused. Kintaro still looked angry. Hotaru had a neutral look on his face. "It seems we all have underestimated them. Including Raiden," noted Hotaru.

"But it was smart in letting the pawns go first," Goro said.

"Kano was to die by my hand," Daegon snapped, "not Cassandra Cage's. Kano was mine!" One hand balled into a fist. "And now, that bitch has Mavado. She and her sister also killed a good number of my men before escaping."

"I was there, Daegon," Shang said in a sympathetic tone. "I know."

"Cassandra Cage has proven to be just like her parents," Hotaru said. "Unpredictable. A shame that she has failed to see what Lord Raiden does is for the good of the realms; bringing order out of the chaos."

"It's a safe bet that not only the renegade champions will be on alert, but also the X-Men and the Avengers as well," Shang noted.

"It means nothing," Daegon said. "If the Cage family thinks what Kano had done to them over the years to be torture, then wait till I get a hold of them."

"You will do nothing of the sort," Kintaro snarled. "The spawn of Blade is mine, alongside her mother. Cassandra Cage will die screaming, followed by her mother."

Daegon spun on Kintaro. "Not anymore. I'm changing the agreement made between you and Shang."

"Enough. Both of you," Shang snapped, stopping the two from coming to blows. To Daegon, he said, "You are not thinking clearly, Daegon. We must be smart about this."

Daegon spun on Shang. "I am thanking clearly, sorcerer. I know what I must do." He gestured to Goro and Hotaru. "The Shokan and the Seidan agree with me. We go on the attack. You stay here and tend to Raiden. Goro, Hotaru, and I will lead the counterattack. With what you had showed us, we know where and how to do the most damage."

Shang nodded. Turning to Hotaru, he said, "Both you and Goro go to Doomstadt. Doctor Doom must die. Kano failed to kill him. He is too big of a threat to live."

"I'm going after Mavado," Daegon said. "Their flying machine - that Helicarrier of theirs - will be my target. Take that out, and you cripple their forces. Mavado is my responsibility. And if I run into any of the exiled champions...then they will have the Cage family to blame when I personally send them back to the Netherrealm."

Shang sighed. "If you do this, then you need the aid of the Centaurs as well."

Goro folded his arms. "Motaro and his ilk? Raiden should not have formed a pact with them. They are nothing compared to a Shokan."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on it, gentlemen."

The voice was female, and it came from the shadows. Daegon drew his swords, while Hotaru armed himself with his naginata. Goro and Kintaro were primed and ready to rip the newcomer apart.

Prim and proper, still in her business suit, red hair in a bun, hands clasped behind her back, Hera emerged from the shadows, a smirk on her face.

"So...this is the Sky Temple," Hera mused, looking around the place. "Reminds me of Apollo's temple on Delphi." She looked at the burnt form of Raiden, floating in the Jinsei. "And I assume that is Raiden. I have to say that the power of the Phoenix still leaves me in awe."

"Who are you?" Hotaru demanded. The power that was radiating off the redheaded woman made all uneasy.

"Who am I is of no consequence, Hotaru," Hera replied. "Oh yes...I know who you are. Your soul is like an open book to me." She looked at Shang, Daegon and the two Shokan. "That goes for the rest of you as well."

"A sorceress? From the other Earthrealm?" Daegon wondered.

"You jape, but while I am proficient in magic, I am no sorceress," Hera replied. "I am like Raiden, in a sense - a god." Lightning crackled along her fingertips.

"How did you come here?" Daegon demanded.

"Traveling between the realms is child's play," Hera replied. "The gods frown upon that sort of thing. Disrupts the balances of order. But they made an exception with Johnny Cage and his family when they fled Earthrealm." She turned to Raiden. "He just couldn't let it go. Guess the fact that Johnny Cage had outsmarted him must've really stung."

"Why are you here?" Shang demanded.

"Oh...the other gods had chosen me to be their messenger. Figured that you'd take me seriously rather than Hermes," Hera admitted. "You see...they're not too happy with your master invading our realm. And on top of that, the Exiled Kombatants have earned the favor of the gods themselves, the Cage family being the darlings of myself and my husband."

"It matters not," Daegon sneered. "Your realm shall fall. No blustering or bluffing shall save you."

"Oh, I don't bluster, Daegon. I speak only the truth, and the truth is this: the Sisters of Fate have spoken. I've read the script. Raiden will lose, and all of you shall die. Earth stands against you. Cease this foolishness now, swallow your pride, and walk away. This is the ultimatum set by myself and the other gods."

Shang's response to that was to fire a single Flaming Skull. Of which Hera merely swatted to the side, Shang and the others watching in shock and horror as the Skull was sent sailing past Raiden, and sent screaming into the wall, where it exploded. Hera then responded by blasting a torrent of lightning at Shang, the force of the blast sending him flying into the wall behind him.

"That was rude," Hera said, chuckling. Her outstretched hand extended towards Daegon, electricity crackling from her fingertips, stopping Daegon and the others from rushing her. Goro, in the meantime, backed away to help Shang back on his feet.

Hera could've revealed Shang's true intentions, but that would've robbed Kitana the chance of avenging Jade. No, Shang's life was Kitana's to take.

"You've had your chance," Hera said. "What happens next is on your heads." With that, she vanished.

* * *

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier - over Cage Incorporated

Maria Hill sat in her office, alone with her thoughts, the first time she had time to herself ever since this war had began. The Cage family was blameless, as they were only fleeing from the corruption of the dark thunder god, with Cassie being damaged from her having to kill Shujinko.

As a Red Lotus, death was inevitable, due to the nature of the job. But Maria's specialty was intelligence, having been trained personally by Jade herself. As the senior member of S.H.I.E.L.D., Maria was in a unique, yet dangerous position that was beneficial to the Red Lotus. Maria saw the Red Lotus as her family, Jade as the mother figure she never had. She was also privy to the true origins of the three grandmasters.

Then, she learned the truth about the Cage family. To see it with her own eyes, that Johnny, Sonya and Cassie were heroes in their own right...

Looking back, she understood why Liu and Kitana had given her the order not to pursue Cassie following the disastrous Union Vale raid. So long as the Cage family did not oppose the Red Lotus in any way, shape or fashion, then the Red Lotus would show them the same courtesy.

For Maria, it was a miracle in itself that she was able to last as long as she had did, working as a mole within S.H.I.E.L.D.

At least she was able to sneak in several Red Lotus operatives in. It was a ballsy move, the Red Lotus infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. But it served its purpose in deflecting attention from the Red Lotus. Now, with the Red Lotus front-and-center, the mission had just gotten a bit harder.

Jade was like a mother to her. When word reached of her demise from Mey, she had locked herself in the restroom and cried. At least she was given an honorable funeral.

"This is a very dangerous game we're playing."

Maria opened her eyes. Olivia Hook stood before her, having entered the room, a sheet of paper in her hand. Like Hill, Hook was a Red Lotus plant, having been with the organization since childhood, whereas Maria was recruited when she was a teenager. The Red Lotus had given the both of them a purpose; to protect the weak from the shadows.

"I know," Hill sighed.

Like Maria, Hook was privy to the origins of the Cage family and of the Red Lotus grandmasters. In fact, following the failed Union Vale raid, it had been on the orders of the Red Lotus grandmasters to let Cassie Cage go. Even to this day, neither S-F nor the Red Lotus knew who had sicced the Mighty Avengers on Cassie.

"Amazing that the grandmasters were able to remain off the radar for so long," Hook noted.

"Now the job to keep them out of the spotlight just gotten harder," Hill said. "It was inevitable, but the Earthrealm situation forced our hand."

"You think Cage and his family know that we've infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Hook asked.

"The grandmasters underestimated the Cage family in the past, as did all of us," the S.H.I.E.L.D. commander/Red Lotus mole replied. "If they do know, then the Red Lotus would've been number one on Stark's hit list back when he was Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Or...they do know, but it won't benefit them if they expose the Red Lotus," the psychic suggested. "And that would violate the non-aggression pact made by the former champions and the grandmasters," added Hill. "Then again, there's bad blood with the Cage family and S.H.I.E.L.D. over what had happened in Union Vale. But you do got a point. If Johnny and Sonya knew, then they would've long since exposed us."

"Or...they know but said nothing because it amuses them both," Hook said, shrugging her shoulders. "Or maybe they truly don't know."

"Did you try to read their minds?" Hill asked.

"I did," Hook confirmed. "Each member of the Cage family has powerful mental blocks in place. After what had happened with the Purple Man, I honestly don't blame them." She handed Maria the sheet of paper.

Maria scanned it for a moment. "Hmm. Stark and the others need to know about this..."

The warning klaxons begin to sound, followed by an announcement over the intercom. "Attention. Attention. Portal opening detected. Location: Cage Incorporated. Repeat: Portal opening detected at Cage Incorporated."

'Hm...must be the ex-revenants that the Grandmasters are sending to help,' Maria thought.

She rose from her chair and exited the room, Hook following behind. This was one meeting that she was going to sit on. In her years of knowing the Cage family from what she learned from the grandmasters and Mey, Maria learned that they were very unpredictable, unlike Stark.

* * *

Office of Chairman Johnny Cage, minutes later...

Even now, Kabal did not believe what he was seeing. Before his first death, he had been a fan of Johnny Cage's movies. He thought that Liu and Kitana were pulling his leg when they said that Johnny had not only remarried Sonya, but had reinvented himself as a billionaire industrialist.

Sonya rejoining the military, with Cassie following her? Well, that was a given.

"Extermination squads?" Stark's voice was laced with disbelief.

Johnny nodded. "Makes sense. Kano and the Black Dragon were nothing more than sacrificial lambs." He sighed. "Now...with what Raiden knows about us and both Cassie and Ravenna burning said mad god to a crisp, the gloves are off."

The chairman of Cage Incorporated sat behind his desk, while Stark and Rogers flanked him, Stark in his Ironman armor, the faceplace snapped upwards, revealing his face, Cap had his cowl removed for the time being. Nightwolf and Kabal sat on one couch, while Jax and Sonya sat on the other couch, Sonya having just arrived after her call to Cassie and the others. Mey sat closeby, obviously recording this meeting for Liu and Kitana.

Jax swallowed as he nodded. "It's Raiden's M.O., taken straight out of the page of Shao Kahn's playbook." He closed his eyes in shame. "Jacqui...the guys...and myself, along with Hanzo and Kuai...we took part in subjugating Outworld as part of these death squads."

Sonya placed a hand on Jax's shoulder. The ex-revenants, Mey and the two superheroes looked at Jax in sympathy. Both Kabal and Nightwolf were very aware of their crimes as revenants, but what Jax had experienced while under Raiden's control made even the ex-Black Dragon and the Lakota shaman pale.

Simply put, Jax and Team S-F had performed what amounted to war crimes under Raiden's control.

Which was why they were grateful for the offer of general amnesty offered to them by Cage, Rogers and Stark. That, and the chance for revenge.

It reminded Johnny of a past memory. One from Earthrealm, back when he and Sonya had divorced, he had accompanied her to Jax's farm. While he exchanged pleasantries with Vera, Sonya had talked to him, trying to get his help. He had listened in on the latter half of the conversation between the two of them.

 _"Look, I get why you didn't want Jacqui joining S-F. Why you retired. I mean, it I had to live with memories of being one of Quan Chi's thugs? I would've eaten a gun a long time ago."_

From the look of things, Jax was ready to yank Sonya's gun from her holster and blow his brains out.

"Reminds me of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen I've encountered back in the war," Steve noted.

Off the confused looks of Nightwolf and Kabal, Sonya quickly explained Cap's background. "Cap's World War II vet that was frozen for over sixty years. He got both Johnny and me by a good decade."

"Oh," the resurrected shaman and the ex-Black Dragon member said in understanding.

"Instead of goose-stepping Nazis, we got Centaurs, Shokan, Tarkarta and God-knows-what-else," Johnny mused. "If Raiden manages to get the Netherrealm on his side, then we're really in trouble."

"He'd have to get an alliance with Noob Saibot and the Brotherhood," Nightwolf noted. "But the Brotherhood and Raiden are not on good terms." He leaned back in his chair, just as Maria Hill entered, accompanied by Agent Hook. "Then there's Fujin..."

"I can understand why Raiden wanted Fujin out of the way," Jax said. "He was a credible threat to his rule. That, and he helped Cassie escape after Shujinko."

"There's more to the story."

Everyone's attention turned to Johnny. A sardonic smirk spread across his face. "To borrow a phrase from my wife, 'Now we come to the part where I have some information to share.' Liu Kang can back up the fact that while being Raiden's point man had its perks, the downside of the job was homework."

Sonya mentally shuddered. Back in Earthrealm, she had seen the piles of scrolls and tomes that Johnny had brought from the Sky Temple when he agreed to become Raiden's champion.

"The main reason why Raiden neutralized Fujin is simple," Johnny continued. "When Shinnok rebelled against the Elder Gods the first time around, Raiden and Fujin rose up to stop him, a war which left Earthrealm decimated. Shinnok was able to taint the Jinsei, but Raiden was able to purge it of Shinnok's taint and banished him to the Netherrealm. Fujin, in turn, purged Raiden of Shinnok's corruption, but Raiden had to spend a lot of time in recovery."

"So why didn't Fujin help Raiden this time around?" Nightwolf asked.

"Shinnok incapacitated Fujin when he and the others brought me to the Sky Temple," the former actor explained. "By the time Fujin had recovered, Cassie had long since beaten Shinnok's face in and the revenants had retreated. By that time, it was already too late."

The gears in the heads of the ex-revenants, the heroes and the exiled kombatants began to spin.

"I'm thinking that Fujin is the key," Johnny said. "Not to get Raiden under control, but to stop him permanently. A mortal can't kill a god. Only a god can kill a god, so according to the rules. So Raiden says anyway."

"And after Bi-Han's rampage through the temples to steal Shinnok's amulet, only Fujin remains," Nightwolf says. "I remember Raiden saying the same thing to me. Is there anyone in this realm on par with Raiden in power?"

Johnny frowned. "I thought Liu and Kitana would've let you know who's who in this realm."

Kabal snorted. "You forgot that I and the other ex-revenants spent three days out cold. Things kinda were in a rush."

"Black Bolt tops the list," Stark noted. "King of the Inhumans, real name Blackagar Boltagon."

"You know Sindel's signature scream can break bones?" Johnny asked. When Jax, Nightwolf and Kabal nodded, Johnny continued. "Black Bolt's can level a city, causes dormant volcanoes to erupt and rip continents apart. Even the smallest whisper can really ruin your day."

"Sounds fearsome," Kabal said. "How does he communicate?"

"Though his wife or by ASL," Cap replied.

"There's also Cassie and Ravenna," Sonya said. "And there's Thor, but he's out in Oklahoma, trying to reassemble Asgard." She turned to Cap. "Steve, can you get in touch with..."

Cap cut her off. "He knows about the war, General. He's on standby, as he has to oversee the defenses of Asgard."

"There's Monet St. Croix," Johnny continued. "Bosnian-Moroccan. She's out with X-Factor Investigations over in London. She's good friends with Rebecca. Bit arrogant, but nice. And a flying brick."

"What about The Sentry?" Cap suggested.

"The Sentry?" Nightwolf repeated.

"Superhero out east," Stark explained, showing the gathering an image of the superhero in question fighting Hulk during the latter's invasion of Manhattan. Powerful, but pretty damn unstable."

"What Johnny's saying is that while most of this realm's heroes and villains can pretty much wreck anyone and anybody back in Earthrealm, there are only a handful that can measure up to Raiden," Sonya said.

"So we need Fujin," Stark surmised. He turned to Sonya. "Looks like a job for Cassie."

"She won't be thrilled," Sonya said. "But she does know the island from her time there. As much as I want to lead the rescue mission, I'm needed here."

Johnny sighed. "We had nineteen years to plan ahead." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Nineteen years and even then, it's not enough."

"Here, I had you pegged for someone who usually makes things up as they go along, Cage," Maria said.

"That was the old me. Back in Earthrealm. I went off half-cocked." Johnny nodded his head to Sonya. "I usually leave the full-scale planning to her."

"Suprisingly, the contingency plans were his idea," Sonya said, pointing to her husband. "He came up with them when I was pregnant with Ravenna. Even I have to admit that his long-term plans were simple, but effective."

"Under the title **Operation KILL THAT IMBECILE** ," Johnny added with a snort.

That got themselves a pretty good laugh from the group. Even Jax cracked a small grin.

"Tony, get on the horn with Bob," Cap ordered. "He should know about what's happening here. He may be crazy, but we can use the help."

"Johnny, you may need to get in touch with Banner," the blonde General suggested. "We're gonna need his help."

Johnny scoffed, ignoring the looks of shock from Maria, Cap and Stark. "Bruce may not want to help us. Especially after the stunt Stark pulled with shooting him into space." He turned to Maria and the Avengers. "Offer him a general amnesty, and maybe he'll help."

"Better Banner than Thanos, and that's if we're really desperate," Sonya added.

"Good point," Stark grumbled. He turned to Maria. "Hill, contact Black Bolt. Tell him that we have a crisis on our hands that also affects both him and his people."

Before Maria could follow through with Stark's request, warning klaxons began to blare from the Helicarrier for the second time today. At the same time, Sonya's PDA begin to beep. The message was the same on the PDA as it was being announced on the loudspeakers outside.

"Attention. Attention. Portal opening detected. Location: Doomstadt, Latveria. Point of origin: Earthrealm."

Jax paled, as did Johnny and Sonya. "Oh, no...Jacqui," Jax whispered, horrified.

This was followed by a second announcement.

"Warning! Multiple portal openings detected! Location: Cage Incorporated and S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier! Point of origin: Earthrealm!"

This was followed by Sonya's radio blaring to life. They could hear the report of gunfire coming from outside.

"General Blade! Hostiles charging through the front gate! They look like...horse-men! With spiked tails!"

This was followed by Dugan's voice, that crackled in Cap and Stark's earpieces. "Hostiles onboard the Helicarrier! Heavily armed men being led by some bald asshole with a pair of swords!"

"Shit. Daegon," Sonya cursed. "Red Dragons. He's going after Mavado!"

"And Centaurs," Johnny added. He groaned. "Motaro's leading the charge."

"Some folks can't stay dead," Kabal mused.

"This is General Blade!" Sonya barked out as she charged out of the room, all save Stark and Maria rushing out behind her. "All hands...defend the grounds at all costs!"

Stark, on the other hand, opted to snap the faceplate shut over his face, while Maria blasted out the window with her pistol. "Remind me to write Cage Incorporated a check for the window," she said.

Scooping the Director of SHIELD in his arms, Ironman zoomed towards the Helicarrier. "This is Ironman! All Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents onboard the Helicarrier defend it! I'm on the way with Director Hill"

"Hostiles engaged!" Red Hulk replied. "Now this is a fight!"

* * *

In Doomstadt, at the same time, with Ares...

Ares had sensed him coming and quickly reacted. Dropping the sword, he picked up the dying Seidan's body, and with superhuman strength, flung him towards the massive Shokan. Almost effortlessly, Goro caught the Seidan by the leg and ripped him in two, dropping the pieces to the ground.

"You look strong," Goro rumbled as he removed his cape. "But not as strong as me, boy."

Ares removed his helmet. "Boy? I've lived thousands of years. And I've killed my share of man and beast. You're a mere pup compared to me."

Goro flexed his arms, furious at the insult. "I am Goro! General of Lord Raiden's armies and King of the Shokan! You will not see the end of this day!"

Ares felt his blood boil at the anticipation of the battle that was to come. "Finally! A real challenge!"

"Your last, mortal!"

Ares grinned. "Mortal? I'm far from mortal. You face Ares, the God of War."

Letting out a primal roar, Goro attacked. His own war cry erupting from his throat, Ares charged.

(Cue 'Overture' from God of War 3 at the 0:45 mark)

Ares lived for battle. He was the God of War, after all, preferring direct tactics over strategy. "You want strategy, then look for my sister," he said.

Following the downfall of H.A.M.M.E.R. and the death of Norman Osborn, things had been...boring, to say the least. This was between the two Earths had gotten his blood pumping again. While he wished that he would've been at Cage Incorporated the first time around, this fight against the Shokan King certainly made up for it.

If only Hercules was here...

Eight-feet-two, and weighing in at five-fifty to Ares' six-four and weighing fifty pounds less than Goro, it was clear that Goro had the advantage. But despite being trained by the best that the late King Gorbak had at his disposal, Goro had not fought no one like Ares.

But that doesn't mean that Goro was not as dangerous. But Ares sparred with the Hundred Hands and went toe-to-toe with the goddess Shiva herself.

Goro's first mistake was to underestimate the smaller man. The Draco-descended Shokan felt the air knocked out of his lungs as Ares's shoulder slammed into his chest. While it was not as powerful as Shao Kahn's signature Shoulder Ram, it still had plenty of power behind it. That left Goro open to a brutal right cross that made stars explode in Goro's crimson eyes, the blow rattling his jaw.

Ares followed through with a vicious punch to the gut. Goro doubled over, allowing Ares to grab his head and drive his knee into the Shokan's face, breaking his nose and knocking him back. The Shokan King found himself sprawled on the ground. Ares was in the air, having leapt from the ground, Goro seeing the manic, bloodlust look on his face, preparing to drive his boot into Goro's skull.

Goro rolled out of the way, just as Ares came down, his boot leaving an impact crater where his head was placed moments earlier. Enraged, Goro counterattacked. Ares found out that for a big guy, Goro was just as fast as he was strong. While Ares loved a good fight, he was not stupid. The God of War stood his ground, his supernaural strength and agility allowing him to block and swat Goro's arms and fists away.

Then, Goro shot a fireball, which cracked his armor, stunning him. The hard Sparta-style kick shattered it completely, knocking Ares on his back. It was painful, but as a god, Ares had been hit harder than that.

Goro was surprised to see his opponent get back up on his feet. That blow should've broken bones and ruptured organs. Shrugging off the remains of his armor, leaving himself naked from the waist up, Ares punted his helmet at Goro. The distraction worked, as Goro swatted the helm away, Ares had closed in the distance, and was in the air, fist cocked back in a Superman-style punch. The blow connected, rattling Goro's jaw and loosening teeth.

But more importantly, Ares was within striking distance. His fist embedded itself into Goro's stomach, introducing the Shokan King's stomach to his backbone. Another right cross drew blood, splitting Goro's bottom lip, and making the Shokan stumble. A hard kick to Goro's kneecap made Goro stumble, and lose his footing as he went down on one knee, which left him open to a brutal overhead punch from Ares that knocked Goro down.

"What's the matter, Your Highness?" Ares sneered as he slammed his foot into Goro's back. "You thought you challenged a mortal? I told you once already: you face a GOD!" At that, Ares kicked Goro hard in the side, literally knocking the massive kombatant in the air, Goro spinning until he landed on his back.

Goro mentally swore. He had made the ultimate mistake: underestimating his opponent. He had done it to Liu Kang. He had done it to Kotal Kahn. And now, he was doing it again. Here, he thought that Raiden was the god to fear. But he was quickly retracting that line of thought as Ares slammed his booted foot into his chestplate, cracking it, relishing in the howl of pain from Goro.

In deseration, one of Goro's lower arms knocked Ares off his feet. As Goro clambered back to a vertical base, putting most of his weight on his good knee, Ares rolled out of the way, out of Goro's reach.

The war cry of a Seidan Guardsman made Ares snap his head to the side. With a bored expression, Ares grabbed the charging soldier by the throat and crushed his windpipe, killing the man instantly. Quickly tossing the Seidan's body to the side, Ares turned his attention back to Goro, who announced his arrival with a Shokan war cry, ready to rip Ares apart.

Something tapped against his foot. Looking down, Ares saw that he was standing next to a fallen Shokan. Said Shokan still had his axe embedded in its chest. Gripping the labris in one hand, Ares yanked it out of the dead Shokan, blood spraying from the wound. Goro stopped in his tracks, but three more lesser Shokan warriors came running, obviously having seen and heard their leader.

Ares' grin became more psychotic. 'More lambs to the slaughter,' he thought, and charged.

Goro's original plan was to have his men hold Ares down, so he can rip his head off. After hearing how Sonya, Cassie and Jacqui had done the same to Kintaro, it was a sound plan. Too bad Ares didn't cooperate, as he tore through the three Shokan warriors with the labrys, sending body parts and innards flying.

Gore hanging from his axe, his body spattered with the blood from his enemies, Ares turned back to Goro. "Now..." Ares paused, "...where were we?"

Goro took a step back. This was no god. This was a monster made flesh. He made Kotal Kahn look sane. So he did the next best thing. He retreated through a portal.

(Overture ends here)

"Aw, come back!" Ares shouted after Goro. "I was havin' fun!" Looking around, he saw the white-haired man that was fighting Doom also making his retreat through a portal, along with any surviving Shokan and Seidan warriors.

Looking around the carnage, Ares closed his eyes and breathed deep in the smell. What a charming bouquet, the mayhem, the death, the fire.

'Madness,' Ares thought. 'Glorious.'

Oh, Goro managed to escape. But there would be a rematch, one that would end with Goro dead at his feet.


End file.
